Rattled by Mahabodhi blasts, state govt to set up ATS to combat terror

Two days after serial bomb blasts at Bodh Gaya's Mahabodhi temple, the Bihar government on Tuesday approved a proposal to set up an anti-terrorism squad (ATS) in the state, an official said.

Cabinet Secretary Brajesh Mehrotra said in Patna that the state cabinet has cleared the 344 posts for the ATS. "Now appointment for the posts has been sanctioned," he said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced Monday that his government was mulling a proposal to set up an ATS to combat heightened security challenges in the state.

The state government had first mooted the idea to set up an ATS in 2006.