Bengaluru, May 29 (IANS) The Congress-led government in Karnataka has decided to launch the Communal Violence Control Force — a specialised unit — in a bid to curb and control communal strife resulting in a series of revenge killings in the state’s Mangaluru, Udupi and Shivamogga districts.

The government has also announced that the personnel serving in the Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) will be reassigned to the Communal Violence Control Force.

The government order released on Thursday in this regard states, among the total available total 648 posts in the ANF, 248 officers and staff are shortlisted to establish the STF.

The order states: “The new STF will have three companies and they will be established in Udupi, Shivamogga and Mangaluru districts. The functions and responsibilities of this force include establishing an intelligence unit with a technical cell to monitor and collect information from the media, social media, and intelligence sources regarding hate speech, provocative incidents, and communal-related activities.

“To create an alert system for potential communal violence through surveillance and human intelligence; to undertake confidence-building measures through effective outreach and influence; to implement measures to identify and monitor radicalisation.”

The IGP of the zone will take the necessary steps to deploy special task force officers/personnel during instances of communal riots, it says.

The order further stated: “The Director General and Inspector General of Police have submitted a proposal to the government stating that six underground Naxals have surrendered before the Naxal Surrender and Rehabilitation Scheme Committee, and since the state is now considered free of Naxal presence, the Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) will be disbanded. This was announced in the Budget Speech 2025-26. However, they have requested that the Anti-Naxal Force unit be extended for another three years, and have mentioned that after review, the unit may be dissolved.”

Meanwhile, the order mentions that it has also considered the fact that the Intelligence Department has provided information that some existing Maoists are relocating from Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand to the border areas of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

In light of this, it has been proposed that from the current strength of officers/personnel in the Anti-Naxal Force (ANF), certain posts be separated to establish a dedicated ‘Special Task Force’ within the state, while the remaining officers/personnel will continue to serve in the ANF, the order stated.

The government has decided to continue 376 posts with the ANF for a further three years. The Communal Violence Control Force will have several high-ranking officials.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Home Minister G. Parameshwara stated that the government has taken the recent incident of murder in Mangaluru seriously.

“We will take action without any hesitation. If such incidents keep recurring, we cannot remain silent. We will further tighten the law,” he said.

The government will take action by considering Mangaluru, Udupi, and Shivamogga districts as sensitive areas, Parameshwara stated. Mangaluru and Udupi are located in coastal Karnataka region and witnessed a series of murders and stabbing incidents over communal strife.

Following the previous incident (murder of Hindu activist and rowdy sheeter Suhas Shetty), the government had assessed the situation and issued an order to immediately implement the formation of a Communal Violence Control Force, he stated.

The Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG and IGP) will take the necessary steps in this regard, Parameshwara stated.

He reiterated that Mangaluru, Udupi, and Shivamogga districts will be treated as sensitive zones and that the government will act firmly to curb communal violence.

Half of the personnel from the existing Anti-Naxal Force will be reassigned to the newly formed Communal Violence Control Force. They will be given the necessary powers and facilities. “We will focus more attention on these three districts,” Parameshwara announced.

“If hatred spreads, what will remain of society? How can people live in such an environment? The government will not stay silent,” he questioned.

In connection with the murder of a 34-year-old man in Mangaluru, Parameshwara said the investigation has uncovered serious information, and action will be taken accordingly.

Parameshwara urged elected representatives to cooperate in maintaining peace. “If they try to provoke people, how can peace be maintained? I have instructed officials to hold peace meetings with religious leaders,” he said.

–IANS

mka/pgh