Picture : @AmitShah/X
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said a common ATS structure for the police force across the country and an impenetrable and strong anti-terrorism grid — vigilant and capable of swift, result-oriented action — are essential for “uniform preparation at every level” to counter terror attacks.
The home minister also said a new plan to launch “a 360-degree assault on organised crime” would be brought in the coming days, and that these databases would form a “core asset of the zero-terror policy”.
According to media reports, Inaugurating the two-day Anti-Terrorism Conference-2025 organised by the National Investigation Agency, Shah launched two databases — the Organised Crime Network Database and the Weapons Database for lost, looted and recovered arms — hosted by the NIA which will be used by the law enforcement agencies across the country.
Addressing the conference, which was attended by Union Ministers of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Union home secretary, R&AW secretary, director general of NIA, and senior officers from state police forces and central agencies, Shah highlighted the links between organised criminals and terrorists.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of zero-tolerance against terrorism, the annual conference has become a platform to deal with the emerging threats, Shah said.
Actionable points emerge from this conference and the NIA, along with all related agencies from the states, works throughout the year to implement them, Shah said, according to an official statement.
“Organised crime networks initially operate for the purpose of ransom and extortion, but when their leaders flee abroad and settle there, they automatically come into contact with terrorist organisations and then use the proceeds from ransom and extortion to spread terrorism within the country,” Shah said.
Under the guidance of the NIA and CBI and with the cooperation of the Intelligence Bureau and by utilising this database, every state must eliminate these threats within their jurisdiction, Shah said.
The home minister also said the database of terrorists and criminals should be made a core asset of the zero-terror policy, the statement said.
A new standard of coordination, cooperation and communication among the DGP Conference, Security Strategy Conference, N-CORD meetings, and the Anti-Terror Conference has been developed, he said.
These four pillars cannot be seen in isolation, and running through them as a common thread is the Anti-Terrorism Conference, the statement quoted Shah as saying.
“When we establish a common ATS structure across the entire country, it provides us with an opportunity for uniform preparation at every level,” Shah said.
“A common ATS structure for the police forces across the country is extremely important, and the DGPs from all the states should implement it as soon as possible,” he added.
