UP govt forms CISF-like Special Security force; can arrest and search without warrant

In a massive crackdown, Uttar Pradesh government announced setting up a Special Security Force (SSF) on Sunday. The SSF is empowered to search and arrest without a warrant, states UP government's order. Sources report that the SSF will be similar to the CISF  in its powers to search, arrest without warrant, handover to police after arrest etc. Such forces are already prevalent in states like Maharashtra and Odisha.

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Yogi government constitutes SSF

Addressing the media, Additional chief secretary (Home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi said the SSF has been established as per the Allahabad High Court's order directing the state government to provide security of all court premises in the state.  Apart from courts, reports state that the SSF will provide security to strategic and vital installations, government premises,  religious spots, Metro Rail, airports, banks, industrial undertakings and any premise notified by the UP government. The force has been set up based on the Uttar Pradesh Special Security Force Bill-2020 passed in the monsoon session.

Moreover, UP DGP has been directed to submit a road map for the constitution of SSF within three days. The government is aiming to launch the first phase of the SSF within three months, Awasthi said. In the first phase, five battalions of  SSF will be constituted with a  total strength of 1913, while the total strength of the SSF will be 9919, state reports. The SSF will initially be headed by an ADG-rank officer.

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What led to the constitution of SSF?

The SSF was constituted when the Allahabad High Court pulled up the state government in December 2019 over a shootout at a Bijnor courtroom. On December 17, three assailants had reportedly opened fire in the court of the Bijnor chief judicial magistrate, killing a murder accused and injuring three others - a court employee and two policemen. A two-judge HC bench had observed that the 'most incompetent police personnel are being posted at the courts', admonishing the state government while seeking central forces if the state govt was not 'upto the task'.

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Previously in 2015, the Muzaffarnagar court had witnessed a similar incident when an armed man shot dead alleged gangster - Vicky Tyagi, as per reports. Meanwhile, UP Bar council chairperson Darvesh Kumari Yadav was shot dead by a colleague in her chambers in an Agra civil court in June 2019. The attack led to wide-spread condemning by Bar councils across the nation, demanding better security for judges.

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