Aurangabad Police to revamp intelligence system

Aurangabad, Maharashtra, May 24 (UNI) The city police has embarked on the process of strengthening its intelligence system following the recent haul of deadly RDX explosives and arrest of half a dozen suspected terrorists from here by the Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Mumbai police.

City police chief Uddhav Kamble, while talking to UNI, appreciated the robust intelligence system of the ATS and its swift action in seizing the explosives. He, however, claimed that the city police too had an inkling about the terrorist activities but the ATS had scored by effecting the seizures first.

The major haul of arms and explosives from Verul (Ellora) in this district from suspected terrorists has, however, prompted the city police to revamp its intelligence system and modernise it to deal with terrorist activities, Mr Kamble said.

''In the process, we need to make few changes in the traditional system of gathering information through intelligence,'' he said, adding steps have been already initiated in that direction.

The city police have already revived its Anti-Terrorist Cell (ATC) in the aftermath of the seizure of the explosives.

The ATC, which was set up in the past to exclusively monitor activities of the now banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), will henceforth monitor activities of all organisations indulging in anti-national and anti-social activities.

The ATC will comprise an eight-member team headed by a police sub-inspector. The ATC has been attached to the city crime branch and will report directly to crime branch assistant commissioner of police Eknath Budwant.

The ATS of Mumbai police seized 30 kg of RDX and a large number of weapons including AK-47 rifles, after they busted a terrorist module on May 9 at Verul (Ellora) village in the district.

The ATS had arrested a total twelve suspected terrorists, six of them from Aurangabad in connection with the seizure from here as well as in Nashik district during May 9 and 12.

UNI MPJ MAZ RL HT1512