Bihar begins process to set up ATS

The Bihar government has begun the process to set up an anti-terrorist squad (ATS) in the state, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said Monday.

"Bihar Police have began the process to set up ATS soon," Nitish Kumar told media persons here, and added that the state cabinet has approved the proposal to set it up.

Nitish Kumar denied reports the state government was soft in countering terror activities and its approach is not clear. "There is no such thing like being soft towards terrorists," he said.

Bihar Police chief Abhayanand said, "We are working to formally set up ATS."

After July's serial bomb blasts at Bodh Gaya's Mahabodhi temple, the state cabinet approved a proposal to set up an ATS in the state.

The government has already cleared the 344 posts for the ATS.

An official in the state home department said the ATS would be set up following the serial blasts in Bodh Gaya and Patna (Oct 27) within four months.

"The government was mulling a proposal to set up an ATS to combat heightened security challenges in the state over the past few years," the official said.

The state government first mooted the idea to set up an ATS in 2006.