Uttar Pradesh govt to set up special security force

The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday said a special force will be constituted on the basis of an Allahabad HC, which had expressed its displeasure over the security at civil courts last December.

Briefing reporters here, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said, "The state government has given orders for the constitution of a special security force. A roadmap in this regard has been sought from the UP DGP.”

“This is a dream project of the UP chief minister. The basis of this force is an order of the High Court, which had ordered that there should be a specialised force for civil courts. In all, there will be 9,919 personnel in the force," he added.

Awasthi said five battalions will be constituted in the first phase and it will be headed by an ADG-ranked officer.

"Expenses incurred in the first phase will be around Rs 1,747 crore," Awasthi said.

On December 18, 2019, the Allahabad High Court had pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government over a shootout at a Bijnor courtroom.

Three assailants had on December 17, 2019 opened fire in the court of the Bijnor chief judicial magistrate, killing a murder accused and injuring three others---two policemen and a court employee.

A two-judge HC bench had said most incompetent police personnel are being posted at the courts, adding that it will seek the deployment of central forces if the state government is not up to the task.