Decisive attack against drugs in Himachal, formation of Unified Special Task Force.
Jagran correspondent, Shimla. Himachal government has taken a big decision to attack drug smugglers decisively. On the orders of Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, the Anti Narcotics Task Force and Special Task Force created in 2022 under the State Tax and Excise Department have been abolished and merged into one powerful unit.
Now the Unified Special Task Force (STF) will fight the war against drugs. This new structure will be under the control of the Home Department. This is a clear indication that now there will be no relaxation at any level in drug cases. The government has made it clear that to uproot drug trafficking, it will not take half-measures but will attack with full force.
The Unified STF has been placed under the direct supervision of the Additional Director General of Police (CID), Himachal Police. This force will now also function as the secretariat of the State Narco Coordination Centre. Intelligence, raids, action and coordination everything will now be under a single command.
The government has abolished the post of DIG (Narcotics) and changed it to DIG (STF). This is not just an exercise in changing the name, but it is an indication that now STF will have a direct and decisive eye on every drug-related network.
Operation will run from Shimla, Mandi and Dharamshala
The units already present in the state will function as range level STF police stations in North Range Shimla, Central Range Mandi and South Range Kangra (Dharamshala). The limit of these police stations will be up to the entire police range, which means now even the district walls will not become a protection for smugglers.
There will be 13 new STF police stations
The state government has already released the notification of 13 new STF police stations on 25 April 2025. Till these are fully operational, range-level STF police stations will take charge.