Kerala to get internal security agency

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The Kerala government Wednesday gave the nod to set up a special internal security agency to investigate crimes related to terror and other issues.

Addressing reporters here after the weekly cabinet meet, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said: “We have given the sanction to create nine new posts, including one of superintendent of police and two deputy superintendents.

Last year the state government had formed an anti-terror squad but it did not have proper administrative freedom.

“We decided to have a special set up after the recent incidents including the chopping of the right hand of a college teacher,” said Achuthanandan. The new agency will be under the control of the state police, he added.

In last 10 days four major incidents have jolted the state police.

Discovery of explosives and crude arms from the compound of a building owned by a mosque in Kannur, a train sabotage in Nilambur, explosives haul in a train at Mavelikera and attack on a college teacher by suspected Muslim fundamentalists made the government to set up the new agency, he said.