Home Minister G. Parameshwara who launched the Special Action Force (SAF) in Mangaluru on Friday (June 13, 2025) said that its sole purpose is to restore communal harmony in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Shivamogga districts.
The SAF will will act against those persons who disturb communal harmony in the three disricts, he said adding that such a force has been constituted in the country probably for the first time.
As many as 248 personnel from the Anti Naxal Force have been drawn to create SAF. A SAF unit, each comprising of 78 personnel, will be placed in the three districts. The SAF will presently be headed by the Deputy Inspector General C.H. Sudheer Kumar Reddy, who is Mangaluru Police Commissioner, and it will work in coordination with Inspector General of Police (Western Range) Amith Singh.
Home Minister G. Parameshwara speaking to Director General and Inspector General of Police M.A. Saleem during the function to launch Special Action Force in Mangaluru on Friday
| Photo Credit:
H.S. Manjunath
“Earlier, we (the government) spoke mildly (on the communal violence in the region). Following the recent incidents (a mob lynching and two communalmurders in Dakshina Kannada), we decided to use force (in the form of SAF) to tackle the communally related issues,” he said.
The government is confident that the SAF will deal effectively with persons who indulge in communal violence, give hate speeches and spread hatred through social media posts, he said. The SAF personnel are well versed in intelligence gathering, he added.
Communal conflict in Coastal Karnataka: Will the special taskforce be effective?
| Video Credit:
The Hindu
Numbers to be increased on need basis
In the last a decade, Mr. Parameshwara said, there have been many communal clashes and murders in the three districts. The SAF personnel will collect intelligence and they are empowered to act against persons who create communal disharmony. “The SAF will operate in the three districts and their numbers might increase, if need be. If necessary, SAF units can be set up in other parts of the State,” he said. “I hope this force will not be needed to operate for a long period,” he added.
“As the personnel have been drawn from the ANF, all privileges and service benefits given to the ANF personnel will continue with SAF personnel,” the Home Minister said.
District In-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, MLCs Ivan D’Souza and Manjunath Bhandary, Director General and Inspector General of Police M.A. Saleem, Additional Director General of Police (Communication, Logistics and Modernisation) S. Murugan, were present.
Published – June 13, 2025 05:44 pm IST
