Haryana will soon set up an Anti-Terror Squad (ATS), Home Minister Anil Vij said Wednesday, the decision coming days after four terror suspects with Pakistan links a rocket-propelled grenade was fired targeting Punjab Police Intelligence headquarters at Mohali in neighboring Punjab.
“From the security point of view, Anti-Terror Squad will be formed, in which DIG and SP rank officers will be included,” he said, while presiding over a meeting on security-related matters with officials of the Home and police department.
There is a need to increase security in Haryana in view of the explosion at the intelligence wing headquarters in Mohali, and the recent arrest of four suspected Pakistan-linked terrorists who were nabbed with explosives in Haryana’s Karnal, Vij said.
He said, “There is a strong need of beefing up the security across Haryana. We will be exercising constant surveillance on the activities of anti-social elements and terrorists and analyse their modus operandi closely. We will be demolishing their networks,” said Vij.
Metal detectors will be installed at all crowded places and busy markets in the state as part of enhanced security measures, he said, and also asked senior state officials to ensure all important buildings in the state are covered by CCTV cameras.
About the social media networks being used by the terror suspects, Vij said, “Haryana Police shall also be reaching to the last man behind such social media posts that spread anti-national video-messages”.
Additional Chief Secretary of Home Department Rajeev Arora and Director General of Police PK Agrawal were among others present in the meeting.
Arora said, “A security audit will be conducted for all the vital and security installations across the state”.
DGP Agrawal added that the police will also be launching an awareness campaign asking people to inform them about any suspected, unclaimed objects in buses, trains or at public places.
In an audacious attack on Monday, a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at the third floor of the highly-guarded building in Mohali’s Sector 77 at 7.45 pm, which sent the state in a high alert mode. Nobody was injured in the attack.
Vij said the Haryana government is ready to offer any help to Punjab in this matter. “Our senior officers will be meeting their Punjab counterparts soon.”
Referring to Khalistan flags being put up on the main gate of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly building. Vij said he has directed officials in Haryana to ensure all important buildings in the state are covered by functional CCTV cameras. Besides, he said he will also appeal to common people, traders and social organizations to install CCTV cameras.
In the meeting, Rajeev Arora informed that the security audit of police establishments and key government buildings will be conducted to counter any untoward incident.
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