By Mouli Mareedu

Copyright deccanchronicle

HYDERABAD: To strengthen action against miscreants and drug peddlers, selected members of the state task force (STF) and district task force (DTF) of the excise department’s enforcement wing will soon undergo three months of weapons training. The government decided to arm the enforcement teams after reviewing the challenges faced during raids and arrests of drug offenders. At a recent review meeting, senior officers analysed the enforcement wing’s role in tackling ganja, narcotics, and other contraband, and resolved to provide arms training to better equip staff to handle violent situations. Sources said the home department and Telangana police have been asked to conduct the training, which will cover emergency response and weapons handling. Selected STF and DTF staff, including young and active personnel, will undergo the programme at the Telangana Police Academy and the Intelligence Security Wing (ISW). Currently, the STF has around 40 members, including DSPs, inspectors, sub-inspectors and enforcement staff. At the district level, DTF teams led by DSPs, inspectors and SIs carry out enforcement responsibilities. “In several instances, notorious offenders retaliate during raids to evade arrest. If STF staff are trained in weapons use, it will create deterrence and help in detaining and arresting miscreants,” senior officials said. Recent Enforcement Actions · Sept. 5: Excise wing arrested a person and seized defence liquor worth `1.5 lakh. · Sept. 5: Two arrested in Afzalgunj and Uppal for selling ganja and black jaggery. · Sept. 6: Department obtained PD Act detention order against notorious offender Lakhan Singh. · Sept. 6: Liquor bottles seized in Hayathnagar for illegal sale. · Sept. 7: 23 grams of cocaine worth `3 lakh seized. · Sept. 8: Miscreants caught transporting ganja from Odisha to Hyderabad. · Sept. 9: Ganja seized in Shamshabad.