Intelligence coordination for northeast suggested

New Delhi, Nov 5 (IANS) The police chiefs of the eight northeastern states have suggested setting up an intelligence coordination group for the region to counter terrorism and insurgency.

Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta and the director generals of police (DGPs) of the eight states Wednesday held a meeting to review the security scenario in the northeast in the wake of the synchronized blasts in Assam Oct 30 that claimed 77 lives.

'There is a need for similar coordination mechanism across the states to take into account several issues which effect the states commonly. There is a free movement of groups across the state borders and international borders. Some groups have linkages with each other,' Gupta said after the meeting.

Gupta said: 'Currently a specific strategy was followed for Assam, another for Manipur and Nagaland. Generically we have to do certain things commonly.'

The home secretary also said that vacancies in the state police in the northeastern states will also be filled up immediately.

'Vacancies in state police, which in some case goes up to 20 percent, will be filled up in a time-bound manner,' said Gupta.