By IANS,
Kolkata : The West Bengal government has alerted the police and intelligence department in the state’s border districts which are being targeted by terrorists, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee said here Thursday.
Replying to questions in the state assembly, Bhattacharjee said apart from Kolkata the terrorists have focussed their attention on the state’s border districts.
“The police and intelligence department have been asked to be alert,” he said.
In northern West Bengal, special measures have been taken to increase surveillance on suspected United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) activists.
Later, moving the demands for grant for the home department, Bhattacharjee said following last November’s terrorist attack in Mumbai the state government has initiated a number of steps to improve the security of public buildings and public places in Kolkata and major towns in the state.
“The Kolkata police have set up an anti-terrorism squad which can be deployed at short notice in case of any emergency,” he said in the budget speech.
Checking of baggage at railway stations, especially in the Metro Railways, has been stepped up.
“All important hotels in the city, shopping malls and commercial complexes have been issued advisories on measures to be taken to secure their premises,” the chief minister said.
Bhattacharjee emphasised the need for coordination between the state and central intelligence agencies in collecting and sharing the information and said enhanced vigilance over the Indo-Bangladesh border has paid dividends.
He said the state government had raised a battalion of Special Striking Force with headquarters at Barrackpore in neighbouring North 24 Parganas district to counter terrorist activities in the urban areas.
The chief minister claimed that activities of greater Cooch Behar movement were on the wane “though they tried to increase their field of influence beyond the district of Jalpaiguri to North Dinajpur”.
He said Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) was also less active.
“The involvement of ULFA, Boro and such other groups in encouraging KLO activists has been kept under watch,” Bhattacharjee said.