India
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Greyhounds force stands at 650 after Naxal-free claim
The Hindu··18 Sept
Telangana's Greyhounds unit now has 650 personnel after Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared the country Naxal-free in May, an officer told The Hindu. IPS officer K.S. Vyas raised the force in 1989 with 350 members. Strength once rose above 2,000 at its peak. DGP (Operations) Anil Kumar, who heads the unit, said it remains a deputation-based striking force.
Prism
What It Means For You
- The specialised jungle unit is smaller than its peak strength even as officers describe continued readiness.
- Personnel still join only on deputation from Special Police, Armed Reserve and Civil Police.
- Other states modelled units such as Odisha's SOG and the CRPF's CoBRA on the Greyhounds approach.
What's Happening
- An officer put current strength at 650 after the May Naxal-free declaration.
- Vyas took charge on June 15, 1989, when nearly 90 percent of the early force were constables.
- Kumar is in his third stint with the unit after earlier ASP and Group Commandant roles.
How the Unit Was Built
- The Andhra Pradesh government created Greyhounds when conventional policing struggled against Maoist armed strength.
- Erstwhile Andhra Pradesh had 41 units of 35 personnel each, including a DSP and an inspector.
- Kumar said the force identifies armed targets carefully and claims no mistaken civilian killings in its history.
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