The members of the force will have special powers, uniforms, and dedicated vehicles to enhance their operational effectiveness. (Express photo)The Karnataka government has formed a Communal Violence Control Force to tackle communal tensions and violence in the state’s coastal and Malnad regions and appointed Mangaluru Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy as its head.The 248-personnel force will operate under Western Range Inspector-General Amit Singh’s supervision until further directives, according to a home department statement. The new force will specifically target communal tensions in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, along with Shivamogga district in the Malnad region.Director-General and Inspector-General M A Saleem has deployed 248 personnel, including three inspectors who previously served with the state’s Anti-Naxal Force, for the new force, the home department said.The formation of the force follows recent murders in the state’s coastal region. Rowdy-sheeter and Hindutva activist Suhas Shetty was murdered in Mangaluru on May 1 and eleven people were arrested in connection with the crime. Shetty had five cases against him–four in Mangaluru city and one in Dakshina Kannada district. He was the prime accused in the murder of Mohammed Fazil, 23, in Surathkal on July 28, 2022. On May 27 this year, Abdul Rahiman, 32, a resident of Kolthamajalu in Bantwal taluk, was murdered while he was unloading sand near a house.The home department plans a phased expansion of the force with additional personnel. The members of the force will have special powers, uniforms, and dedicated vehicles to enhance their operational effectiveness.Training for deployed officers will be conducted at the police training centre in Karkala, Udupi, ensuring they are adequately prepared for the unique challenges of communal violence management.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:KarnatakaMangaluru