Mumbai: In a bid to tackle the naxal menace in Maharashtra, the state police is coming up with a multi-pronged initiative including setting up of a special force.

"Maharashtra is coming out with a new initiative, including forming a special force...Already we have men doing the job but we are looking at an umbrella kind of a set up," newly appointed Director General of Police A N Roy said.

The details about the special force are being worked out and it will work alongside the Anti Naxals Operations (ANO) which is functioning right now, Roy said, adding, "I cannot give out its name as of now." "Naxalism is one of my priority areas and and we want to take some major initiatives in controlling the naxalites. It (the force) may include some specially trained people," Roy, who has just returned from a tour of naxal-infested areas said.

The ANO is not a specialised force, it is just an unit and will be a part of the new force, he said.

"Give me few days to finalise the plan, I am speaking to my officers and several steps are in the offing." Though Maharashtra has witnessed stray incidents involving naxalites since 1981, it has done well to confine the activity to small parts in the forests of Gadchiroli, Gondia and Chandrapur districts of Vidarbha bordering Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Source : PTI