Odisha special unit to counter urban terrorism

Bhubaneswar, July 9: A special police unit has been created in Odisha to deal with terrorism in the state's urban areas, police said Tuesday.

The Special Tactical Unit (STU) has currently 30 Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel who were trained for about three months at the National Security Guard (NSG) camp in Manesar, Haryana.

"This unit is a part of the Special Operations Group (SOG). We plan to gradually raise the strength of this unit to about 100," Odisha Director General of Police Prakash Mishra told IANS.

The SOG, which has 3,000 personnel, was set up in the state in 2004. It is primarily being used to counter left wing extremism.

"There was a need for creating a dedicated force to counter attacks like those happened in Bodh Gaya in Bihar and Mumbai," he said.

The STU unit conducted its first mock drill at the battalion ground of the state's armed police force in Bhubaneswar Monday. Chief Secretary Jugal Kishor Mohapatra and police chief Prakash Mishra were among those present.

Odisha is now the third state in India after Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh to have a dedicated force to counter terrorism in urban areas.

IANS