Karnataka Police consider new anti-terrorism unit following call for uniform ATS by Union Home Minister Amit Shah

Problem of plenty

At present, Karnataka has multiple units that deal with anti-terrorism activities, ranging from the state Intelligence Department, the state Internal Security Division and anti-terrorism cells in cities like Bengaluru.

“The presence of multiple units dealing with the same issue causes difficulties in coordination for central agencies. This has resulted in an effort to create an Anti-Terrorism Squad in Karnataka, which will combine some of the state units dealing with the issue,” said police sources familiar with the consultations.

At the inauguration of a two-day ‘Anti-Terrorism Conference’ on December 26, 2025, in New Delhi, which was attended by police chiefs from across the country, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah had called for uniform structures for ATS units in all states for better coordination.

“When we establish a common ATS structure across the entire country, it provides us with an opportunity for uniform preparation at every level.

“A common ATS structure for the police across the country is extremely important, and all Director Generals of Police from the states should implement it as soon as possible,” he added.

Shah said all state anti-terrorism squads should utilise databases like the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) to stay on top of intelligence gathering for anti-terrorism operations since it can reveal “the invisible links in cases”.

“A common ATS structure and operational uniformity give us an advantage in prosecuting terrorists. Unless we achieve operational uniformity, we cannot make an accurate assessment of threats, make proper use of intelligence sharing, or carry out coordinated counteractions,” the Union home minister said while calling for uniformity in anti-terrorism operations.

While the Internal Security Division was created within the Karnataka Police in 2008 to function as an Anti-Terrorism Squad in the wake of terrorist attacks in Bengaluru (Indian Institute of Science in 2005 and Bengaluru serial blasts in 2008), the division has not been actively involved in anti-terrorism activities like the ATS in most other states, said a senior police officer.

“The ISD has functioned primarily as a counter-intelligence agency for anti-terrorism activities and not as an ATS which investigates terrorism cases,” the officer added.

The ISD was created to be headed by an officer of the rank of Additional Director General of Police, “with an objective to collect actionable intelligence and carry out operations” in the areas of “Anti-National and Subversive Activities”. The ambit of the ISD’s work extends from terrorist activities, hawala transactions, counterfeiting, narco-terrorism, and organised crime.

The ISD has six units – the Coastal Security Police, Anti-Naxal Force, Anti-Terrorist Cell and Vital Installations, Centre for Counter Terrorism, Regulation of Private Security, and the Karnataka State Industrial Security Force (KSISF).

Meanwhile, the responsibility in recent years for handling statewide anti-terrorism activities has fallen on a small counter-intelligence unit that was created 10 years ago in the state Intelligence Department.

Multiple proposals for allocating manpower from the well-staffed ISD to the smaller counter-intelligence unit in the state intelligence for anti-terror work have been rejected by the police top brass in recent years, said police sources familiar with the developments in recent years.

“There is an issue with coordination with central agencies for anti-terrorism intelligence. The central and other state agencies are not sure about who they should be talking to for sharing or collecting confidential information. An ATS with a uniform structure will facilitate better coordination, but ultimately it is a decision of the state government,” a police officer said.

According to sources, the Karnataka Police Department is considering merging the anti-terrorism unit in the state Intelligence Department with a specialised ATS culled out from the existing ISD.

With the Union home minister directing states to follow a uniform structure in line with the recommendations of the NIA for state Anti-Terrorism Squads, the Karnataka Police are likely to propose a new ATS structure to the state government for its approval and clearance.