Chief minister Nitish Kumar and director-general of police Abhayanand (right) at the review meet on Thursday. Telegraph picture

The state government has proposed setting up of armed fighting companies in every district to deal with organised crime, rioting and Maoist menace.

Director-general of police Abhayanand said the decision to create 242 armed fighting companies of the police force was taken at a review meeting of the home department that was chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday.

The DGP said that of the 242 proposed companies, 44 would be created exclusively to deal with incidents of rioting. Rest of the companies would be deployed for operations against the Maoists and against organised crime like kidnapping for ransom, bank dacoity and road robbery.

The DGP said the posts of sub-inspectors, inspectors and deputy superintendents of police would be created to handle the fighting companies at the district level.

Abhayanand said that the chief minister had directed for upgrade of district police force to a fighting force and for arming them with anti-riot equipment and weapons. The equipment and weapons would be purchased according to their requirements, the DGP said, adding that aging cops would be engaged in civil policing work only.

The chief minister also reviewed progress in the recruitment of police constables in the state. The DGP said that the government has decided to provide 35 per cent reservation to women in the recruitment of constables and sub-inspectors under which three per cent have been reserved for OBCs.

Amendments to the existing recruitment policy would be brought out in due course, he said.

The chief minister also directed the home department to create the post of director-in-chief of the state forensic science laboratory.

A directorate comprising forensic science laboratory, finger prints and the photo bureau would be set up. The post of the director-in-chief would be filled up with an expert of forensic science of natural repute.