Calcutta, July 18: The Bengal government today created two posts of the inspector-general rank to oversee the situation in the hills.

Manoj Verma, who was IG traffic, was today posted as IG Darjeeling. Jawed Shamim, who was posted as IG (enforcement branch), has been made IG North Bengal (traffic). Both posts were created today.

Verma and Shamim will join the team of DG-ranked officer Raj Kanojia, ADG North Bengal Siddhnath Gupta, DIG Darjeeling Range Humayun Kabir and Akhilesh Chaturvedi, SP Darjeeling.

Sources said this was the first time that a team of six IPS officers had been officially posted to oversee a crisis in an area.

Until now, senior police officers were being sent to the hills on deputation and called back "as and when required".

"Permanently created posts means there is a need for officers to be deployed there on a permanent basis. This also hints at an apprehension that the crisis is here to stay for some time," said a senior officer in the police directorate.

Sources in the home department said the government was satisfied with the officers who had been sent earlier to tackle the situation.

In Mirik today, suspected Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters ransacked the homes of Trinamul councillors and supporters and tried to torch the municipality building.

A Morcha supporter, Ashish Tamang, 38, had been killed in a clash in Mirik yesterday. The Morcha alleged that he had died in police firing, a charge denied by minister Gautam Deb.

Political analysts said the Morcha was targeting Trinamul supporters in Mirik as the town is the sole base of the ruling party in the hills.