Jharkhand Police, in the lines of its Andrha Pradesh counterpart, is likely to get a Special Intelligence Wing (SIW) to be used only for the purpose of collecting Naxal intelligence and conducting operations against them soon. According to senior police officials, it will also act as a brain for the Special Task Force (STF).
A meeting chaired by DGP DK Pandey was held at Police Headquarters in Ranchi on December 8 where a thorough discussion took place related to the formation of SIW in Jharkhand.
“A pattern was formed by Andhra Pradesh, where a team of special branch has to be formed called Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) or Special Intelligence Wing (SIW) to differentiate with the regular intelligence agencies. It is to be used only for naxal intelligence and operations and act as brain for the Special Task Force (STF),” said ADG (Operations) and Jharkhand Police Spokesperson SN Pradan. Acting in close coordination with the STF, it will help them in conducting operations independently, he added.
According to Pradhan, Jharkhand was the only State where SIW has not been formed so far but since the Chief Secretary has taken it seriously, it is likely to be formed soon in the State.
“SIW has been made mandatory for all the states. Otherwise funding for the state police will be stopped by the Centre. The reason behind not forming the SIW in Jharkhand till date was that the Special Branch in the State has been working almost completely on naxal intelligence,” said Pradhan. Headed by DIG rank official, the SIW will work under Special Branch, he added.
Pradhan further added that there was also a provision of special incentives to those police personnel and officials who are inducted into SIW. “Odisha gives 40 per cent incentive while there is a provision of 60 per incentive to the police personnel joining the wing in Chhattisgarh.
ADG (Special Branch) Anurag Gupta also asserted that Andhra had created a model of intelligence which was to be adopted by all the states where a special intelligence bureau has to be created by each of the states for collecting intelligence from various sources and conduct operations simultaneously.