KOCHI: A dedicated intelligence wing will be floated by the coastal police to beef up surveillance network along the coastline of Kerala. The wing will work in tandem with the Kadalora Jagratha Samithis. Announcing this S Surendran, Assistant Inspector General, Coastal Security, Kerala Police said that in addition to this a scuba diving team comprising of 30 divers will soon be inducted into service for emergency rescue operations.
“At present 74 KJS units, comprising of sea faring fishermen, are engaged in the surveillance work but this is not sufficient enough to defend the coast from threats from outer sea. The wing is being floated in order to mitigate the gap,” said Surendran.
A property, covering an area of 25 acres, has been identified at Thrissur for setting up the battalion to train and develop manpower for the force. As a part of this the Kerala Police Housing and Construction Corporation has been entrusted with preparing the estimate for constructing the new block in Thrissur.
“For this a Marine Police Training Centre will be opened at Kerala Police Academy in Thrissur and this will be in addition to the Marine Police Battalion in Kannur. In the second phase ten coastal police stations, in addition to the existing eight, will be commissioned,” he added.
All this is possible only after the government accords sanction for an additional lot of 710 personnel to the 20-odd patrol boats allocated to them.