Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, June 3: In a significant and proactive measure to curb the growing menace of communal disturbances along Karnataka’s coastal belt and Malnad regions, the state government has sanctioned the formation of a special task force (STF).
The force aims to restore peace and reinforce law and order in the communally sensitive districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Shivamogga.
Speaking to the media in Mangaluru, home minister Dr G Parameshwara revealed the government's decision, citing the alarming trend of repeated communal flare-ups that have marred the region’s social fabric. The new STF will be a dedicated unit, working under the direct supervision of district superintendents of police and police commissioners, ensuring swift and decisive action against anti-social and communal elements.
According to intelligence reports, naxal elements from regions like Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand are believed to have been migrating and regrouping in the border zones of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Taking this into account, the government has decided to reallocate a portion of personnel from the existing Anti-Naxal Force (ANF).
Out of the 667 sanctioned posts in the ANF, 248 personnel will now be diverted to the STF, while 376 posts will continue to function under ANF operations for the next three years.
Composition of the STF:
• 1 Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP)
• 1 Deputy Superintendent of Police (Civil)
• 1 Assistant Commandant
• 4 Police Inspectors / Reserve Police Inspectors
• 16 PSIs / RSIs / SIs
• 60 CHCs (Constable Head Constables)
• 150 CPCs / APCs (Civil & Armed Constables)
• 15 Followers (Support Staff)
STF deployment plan:
The STF will be split into three companies, each being stationed in Udupi, Shivamogga, and Dakshina Kannada respectively. Their operational headquarters is expected to be established in Mangaluru, given its strategic centrality in the coastal region.
STF mandate and functions:
• Close monitoring of social and mainstream media for hate speech and communal incitement.
• Strengthening intelligence gathering and setting up technical surveillance cells.
• Enhancing human intelligence inputs to identify and neutralize communal threats.
• Implementing confidence-building measures among communities to ease tensions.
• Keeping tabs on the emergence of anti-social elements and taking preventive actions.
• Providing rapid deployment during communal unrest under the direction of the Zonal IGP.
A senior police officer, commenting on the development, stated, “To curb provocations and bring legal offenders to justice, the government has set up a special task force focused on the coastal region. This force, covering Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Shivamogga, will act as a bulwark against communal forces, with a base in Mangaluru.”
The move has drawn attention from various quarters, with many viewing it as a timely intervention to uphold peace and communal harmony in one of Karnataka's most volatile regions.