The government is planning to strengthen the Special Task Force to fight Naxalite activities in the state.

The highly trained force would soon have 25 additional units because of the greater responsibilities given to it.

At present, Bihar has only 25 units of the STF. Each unit comprises 30 constables, three sub-inspectors and one deputy superintendent of police.

“The proposal for raising 25 new units of the STF is in the final stage. The committee set up for creating the posts has already approved the proposal and it is now awaiting the cabinet nod,” said a senior police officer associated with anti-Naxalite operations in the state.

Once the additional units are raised, there are plans to deploy the STF personnel in four important towns — Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur and Bhagalpur.

“The idea is to keep the personnel at strategic locations so that the force can rush to the spot in the least possible time,” the officer added.

Sources said the police headquarters had also proposed setting up a training centre for the STF, which was created about a decade back with the aim to check the growing influence of the Naxalites and activities of criminal gangs.

A team of senior police officers visited Vaishali about a month back to finalise land acquisition on Hajipur-Mahua road, about 30km north of Patna.

About 52 acres are required for the training centre, sources said, adding that the proposal was pending with the committee headed by the development commission for approval.