Haryana govt to set up anti-terrorist force ‘kavach’

Haryana CM Khattar said the ATF will deal with “security challenges in general which we face in the present day”. (File)

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Monday announced that the Haryana government will set up an anti-terrorist force (ATF) comprising specially trained recruits from the state police, to deal with present-day security challenges.

“We have decided to set up an anti-terrorist force. This force will be named ‘Kavach’. Select Haryana police recruits will be trained by the National Security Guard (NSG). I have already spoken to the NSG in this regard,” Khattar told reporters in Gurgaon, adding that some states have already set up such a unit.

When asked on the need for such a force, Khattar said the ATF will deal with “security challenges in general which we face in the present day”.

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Clarifying that the decision to form this force had nothing to do with any specific threat being faced by the state, the CM said, “Prevention is better than cure.”

When attacks in Pathankot and Mumbai occurred no one knew them from before, the idea is to be better prepared (in the future),” he explained.

The finer modalities for setting up the ATF are being worked out, the CM said.