The West Bengal government will pay a special allowance to police personnel who operate in Maoist-affected areas, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said on Tuesday.
“The police are operating in difficult times. In north Bengal, there is the threat of certain separatist forces; in south Bengal, there are 21 thanas spread across the districts of Paschim Medinipur, Bankura and Purulia where they have to counter terrorist activities [by Maoists] almost on a daily basis,” he said at a police function here.
In view of the violence by left-wing extremists, the government decided to upgrade thanas.
Steps were being taken to increase the firepower of the police as well as induct more personnel, “or else we will be in difficulty,” the Chief Minister said.
