LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Director-General of Police has been given three days to prepare a road map for forming the Special Security Force (SSF) that can search and arrest suspects without a warrant.
While the state government had issued a notification around a fortnight back on the proposed SSF, the state government came out with a blueprint on Sunday for raising the special force.
According to the UPSSF Act, 2020, the force will not require a magistrate’s order or warrants to make an arrest or conduct searches. Its powers will be governed by rules made by the state government. The UP Police chief has also been directed to prepare the blueprint of the structure of the force within a week’s times.
The Yogi Adityanath government is believed to be working on building a force on the lines of the Central Industrial Security Force. The SSF is supposed to be responsible for security of vital installations, industrial establishments, upcoming airports and metros besides being deployed in VVIP fleets.Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi said the DGP was sent a copy of the
Uttar Pradesh Special Security Force (UPSSF) Act, 2020, on Friday and directed to ensure effective working of the force.
“The UPSSF has got the nod from the DGP. This force will be deployed at places such as Metro rail, airports, industrial institutions, courts, religious places, banks and other financial institutions. The headquarters will be in Lucknow, and an ADG-level officer will head the force. Initially, five battalions will be formed,” said Awasthi. Private firms can also hire the services of the force at a fixed cost with the DGP’s approval.
Awasthi said 9,919 SSF personnel of five battalions would be deployed within three months in the first phase, following which 1,913 more posts will be created. An estimated Rs 1,747 crore would be spent per year on these battalions. The new force would help the administration in utilising PAC and police force for better maintenance of law and order,” Awasthi had said.