A member of the bomb disposal squad checks the Mahabodhi temple premises in Bodhgaya on Thursday. Picture by Suman

Patna, July 11: Chief minister Nitish Kumar would address a meeting of top police officers in Patna on Saturday, barely six days after the suspected terror attack in Bodhgaya and for the first time after the JD(U) came out of the NDA.

Sources in the police headquarters said the information about the meeting to be held at a short interval was faxed to the offices of the inspectors-general of four police zones, deputy inspectors-general of 11 police ranges and the superintendents of police of all the districts, including rail police districts, on Thursday evening.

The meeting would be held in two sessions at Samvad (the chief minister’s secretariat). The first session would begin at 9.30am and would be addressed by the chief minister. Director-general of police Abhayanand would address the second session scheduled in the afternoon (1.30pm). Senior officers of the special branch and the criminal investigation department would also attend the meeting.

A written order about the high-level review meeting to be chaired by the chief minister was faxed to all officers on field duty by additional director-general (headquarters) Ravinder Kumar.

The meeting with the field officers assumes significance in the wake of the suspected terror attack on the Buddhists’ pilgrimage site — the Bodhgaya temple — and the deteriorating law and order situation. The state machinery drew flak from the opposition parties over the death of six persons in police firing at Bagaha in West Champaran district. The situation aggravated to such an extent that the government had to recommend a probe by a judicial commission headed by retired Patna high court judge Justice Rajendra Prasad.

Sources said the chief minister is concerned over the sudden rise in the incidents of crime, particularly kidnapping for ransom, cash loot and property related offences in the recent past. “For the first time, a separate review meeting of the police officers is being held,” a police officer said, adding that a joint meeting of the district magistrates and the superintendents of police was held on April 24.