Maharashtra ATS faces acute shortage of staff
Of the sanctioned strength of 732 personnel for the ATS, which was formed in 2004 to counter terrorism and probe terror cases, 283 posts or 38.66 per cent of the required manpower are lying vacant as on September 1, 2011, ATS sources told PTI.
Although Maharashtra has borne the brunt of terrorism with six deadly attacks since 1993, including the 26/11 strikes, the state's terror watchdog has only 10 sub inspectors, the cutting edge of the force as they are first to investigate a case as against the sanctioned strength of 90.
The cumulative strength of constables in ATS stands at 354 as against approved 495. The constables are eyes and ears on the ground to gather intelligence inputs, the sources said.
The strength of middle-level officers is no better. There are only two superintendents of police for the four sanctioned posts, three assistant commissioners of police for the 10 required and 38 Inspectors instead of required strength of 50, the sources added.
In the aftermath of the brutal terror attack on November 26, 2008, the Ram Pradhan Committee in its report submitted in April 2009 had noted that the structure of ATS and its operations was in "somewhat confused state".
On November 26, 2008, Ajmal Amir Kasab and nine aides had landed here by sea and gone on a shooting spree at various places, including the Taj Mahal Hotel, Nariman House, Oberoi Hotel and CST railway station, killing 166 people."Government should reiterate that normally all terrorist attack cases in Mumbai as well as in the rest of Maharashtra should be investigated by ATS alone unless otherwise decided, but the force seems ill-equipped to fulfil the duty recommended by the committee", the Committee report had said.
ATS
chief
Rakesh
Maria,
an
additional
DGP
in
rank,
was
unavailable
for
comment.
Maharashtra
DGP
K
Subramaniam
said
that
the
ATS
is
not
the
only
agency
facing
the
shortfall.
"We have been trying to fill up vacancies by expediting the recruitment process. As and when we get extra hands, we will ensure that top investigative wings such as ATS and other important wings get priority," the DGP said.
The top cop also attributed the backlog to the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) scam.
"The recruitment of PSIs (police sub-inspectors) is put on hold for sometime due to the scam," Subramaniam said.
The exams for the recruitment of PSIs had to be cancelled after the answer papers of about 400 candidates were found to be replaced in 2002.
Former
IPS
officer
and
lawyer
Y
P
Singh
said
intelligence
gathering
will
be
adversely
affected
if
the
vacancies
are
not
filled,
especially
those
of
the
lower-rung
officials.
"Terror
attacks
can
be
prevented
by
gathering
intelligence
inputs.
Senior
officials
don't
gather
inputs,
but
it
is
the
lower
rung
men.
Moreover,
ATS
has
been
considered
as
a
side
posting
by
the
lower
rung
cops
in
the
state,"
Singh
said.
"PSIs and constables think that there is no public recognition and won't be having executive powers in the ATS. Many do not want to be transferred to this anti-terror unit," he added.
Since its inception, ATS has been delegated to be the nodal agency for exchange of intelligence with Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), apart from tracking and neutralising terror modules.
PTI