ErwinGholson17 at 19:03, 26 February 2026

2026-02-26T19:03:22Z

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{{short description|Counterterrorism units of Indian Police Departments}}
{{for|the former name of the New Zealand Police tactical group|Anti-Terrorist Squad}}
{{Tone|date=December 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}

{{Infobox law enforcement agency
| agencyname = An Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS)
| country = India
| subdivname =
| legaljuris = {{flag|Republic of India}}
| governingbody = [[Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|Ministry of Home Affairs]]
| governingbodyscnd = [[Police forces of the states and union territories of India]]
| speciality1 = counter-terrorism
}}

An '''Anti-Terrorism Squad''' ('''ATS''') is an Indian special [[counterterrorism]] unit present in several [[police forces of the states and union territories of India|state police]] agencies of [[India]] including [[Maharashtra Police]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kerala train fire: Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad nabs suspect near Ratnagiri |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/kerala-train-fire-maharashtra-anti-terrorism-squad-nabs-suspect-near-ratnagiri/cid/1927374 |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=www.telegraphindia.com |language=en}}</ref> [[Gujarat Police]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Service |first=Indo-Asian News |date=2023-05-22 |title=Gujarat ATS arrests suspected Al-Qaeda terrorist; frames charges against 4 people |url=https://www.siasat.com/gujarat-ats-arrests-suspected-al-qaeda-terrorist-frames-charges-against-4-people-2596001/ |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=The Siasat Daily |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Kerala Police]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-11 |title=First time since formation, Kerala's anti-terrorism squad gets own posts |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/first-time-since-formation-kerala-s-anti-terrorism-squad-gets-own-posts-1.7863272 |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=English.Mathrubhumi}}</ref> [[Uttar Pradesh Police]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-05-07 |title=ATS raids different locations in Uttar Pradesh, detain 70 people over alleged links with PFI |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/ats-raids-different-locations-in-uttar-pradesh-detain-70-people-over-alleged-links-with-pfi/article66823473.ece |access-date=2023-06-06 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> [[Rajasthan Police]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-11-15 |title=Rajasthan ATS, SOG to probe Udaipur railway track blast from November 15 |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/rajasthan-ats-and-sog-to-probe-train-udaipur-track-blast/article66138681.ece |access-date=2023-06-06 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> [[Bihar Police]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Migrant workers attack row: Bihar's anti-terrorism squad makes first arrest in fake videos case - The New Indian Express |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2023/Mar/07/migrant-workers-attack-row-bihars-anti-terrorism-squad-makes-first-arrest-in-fake-videos-case-2553810.html |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=www.newindianexpress.com|date=9 March 2023 }}</ref> [[Jharkhand Police]],<ref>{{Cite web |last1=PTI |last2=ThePrint |date=2023-05-16 |title=Gangster Aman Srivastava, wanted in 23 cases, arrested by Jharkhand ATS from Navi Mumbai |url=https://theprint.in/india/gangster-aman-srivastava-wanted-in-23-cases-arrested-by-jharkhand-ats-from-navi-mumbai/1577446/ |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref>[[Tamil Nadu Police]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-05-27 |title=It's official: Tamil Nadu to get Anti-Terrorism Squad |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/its-official-tamil-nadu-to-get-anti-terrorism-squad/articleshow/100542373.cms |access-date=2023-06-06 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> [[Madhya Pradesh Police]]<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-02-28 |title=Madhya Pradesh ATS carries out searches to nab terror suspect |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/ats-searches-to-nab-terror-suspect/articleshow/98289831.cms |access-date=2023-06-06 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> and [[Chhattisgarh Police]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=ATS |first=Chhattisgarh ATS |title=Chhattisgarh anti terrorism squad ats |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/topic/chhattisgarh-anti-terrorism-squad-ats-}}</ref> These units are frequently involved in the investigative, intelligence and emergency response aspects related to [[terrorism]] and cooperate with other branches of their police departments, police forces from other states, and national agencies such as the [[Intelligence Bureau (India)|Intelligence Bureau]] and the [[National Investigation Agency]].<ref name="siq">
{{Cite web|url=https://www.mensxp.com/special-features/today/28798-the-anti-terrorism-squad-unsung-heroes-of-indian-counter-terrorism.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151229153344/http://www.mensxp.com/special-features/today/28798-the-anti-terrorism-squad-unsung-heroes-of-indian-counter-terrorism.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 December 2015|title=The Anti-Terrorism Squad: Unsung Heroes of Indian Counter-Terrorism|date=28 December 2015}}
</ref>

== History ==
The first Anti-Terrorism Squad of India was founded in [[Maharashtra]] in 1990 by [[Aftab Ahmed Khan]], then the [[Additional Commissioner of Police]] in [[Mumbai Police|Mumbai]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Ex-IPS Officer A A Khan, Who Founded Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad, Dies |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/ex-ips-officer-aftab-ahmed-khan-who-founded-mumbai-anti-terrorism-squad-dies-2722519 |access-date=2025-07-14 |website=[[NDTV]] |language=en}}</ref> He was inspired by methods used in the [[SWAT]] teams of the [[Los Angeles Police Department]] to combat terrorism.<ref name="siq" /> Anti-Terrorism Squads have subsequently been integrated into the police departments of numerous states, with the original ATS of Maharashtra Police being terminated and then reconstituted.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-11-27 |title=Unready then, worse now |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/20101206-unready-then-worse-now-744915-2010-11-26 |access-date=2025-07-14 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref>

The Mumbai ATS squad has been connected with many human rights violations, from extreme torture to public shootings. Following the [[1991 Lokhandwala Complex shootout]] and other similar [[Encounter killing|encounters]], the organization was terminated in January 1993. The leader of this program, A.A. Khan, was transferred from his position as the chief of Mumbai's ATD to the [[Inspector-general of police#India|IGP]] (Anti Naxalite division) to [[Nagpur]] on 29 January 1993 following the termination of the program.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ex-Mumbai police officer A A Khan passes away |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/ex-mumbai-police-officer-a-a-khan-passes-away-1073354.html |access-date=2025-07-14 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref>

The Anti Terrorism Squad of Maharashtra Police was later reinstated in the states police department by the Government of Maharashtra, vide G.R. No. SAS-10/03/15/SB-IV, dated 8 July 2004.<ref name="MUMATS">[https://mumbaipolice.maharashtra.gov.in/antiterrorismsquad.asp "ANTI – TERRORISM SQUAD"] mumbaipolice.maharashtra.gov.in retrieved on 23 January 2019</ref>

==By State==
===Maharashtra===
Maharashtra Police was the first police department in the country to set up an ATS unit. Although the unit was disbanded in 1993, it was later reintroduced to the state's police force in 2004 as a special unit of Maharashtra Police. In 2008 ATS chief [[Hemant Karkare]] was martyred in the [[line of duty death|line of duty]] fighting against terrorists in the [[26/11|26/11 Mumbai attacks]].The Anti Terrorism Squad of Maharashtra Police is frequently involved in combating the intelligence and investigation challenges related to terrorism but not armed anti terror operations, which are usually undertaken by other police units.

===Uttar Pradesh===
The Uttar Pradesh government created its own Anti-Terror Squad in 2007. Although the anti terrorism squad of U.P. generally deals with the intelligence aspects of terrorism it has been stepping up its tactical counterterrorism capabilities since 2017 with creation of [[Police tactical unit|tactical units]] called Special Police Operations Team (SPOT).<ref>{{Cite web |title=uppolice.gov.in{{!}} Official Website of Uttar Pradesh Police {{!}} Police Units {{!}} Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) {{!}} About Us |url=https://uppolice.gov.in/pages/en/topmenu/police-units/anti-terrorist-squad-(ats)/en-about-us-ats |access-date=2023-06-10 |website=uppolice.gov.in}}</ref>

===West Bengal===
[[Kolkata Police]] had two anti-terrorist squads much before the police forces in Delhi and Mumbai came up with the idea. It is another matter that these two units turned out to be woefully inadequate in tackling modern-day terrorism. By the time, the administration realized this and merged them to set up the Special Task Force (STF).<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Gupta |first1=Jayanta |last2=Mandal |first2=Caeser |date=3 Dec 2008 |title=No training for anti-terror squad |work=[[The Times of India]] Dec 3, 2008, 00:36 IST |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/no-training-for-anti-terror-squad/articleshow/3785986.cms |url-status=live |access-date=3 Dec 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230723155623/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/no-training-for-anti-terror-squad/articleshow/3785986.cms |archive-date=23 July 2023}}</ref>

==In popular culture ==
*In the 2006 [[Malayalam movie]] "[[Baba Kalyani (film)]]", [[Mohanlal]] portrays the role of an [[Indian Police Service|IPS]] officer in ATS.
*In the 2009 [[Malayalam movie]] ''[[IG (film)|IG]]'', [[Suresh Gopi]] portrays the role of an officer who is the ''Anti-Terrorist Squad Chief''.
*In the 2024 [[Tamil movie]] ''[[The Greatest of All Time]]'', the lead characters portray the role as officers working for ''Special Anti-Terrorism Squad''.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20171202032843/http://mahapolice.gov.in/mahapolice/jsp/temp/ats.jsp Maharashtra ATS]
*[https://uppolice.gov.in/frmUnitOfficials.aspx?ats Uttar Pradesh ATS]

{{2008 Mumbai attacks}}
{{Law enforcement agencies of India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anti-Terrorist Squad, Mumbai}}
[[Category:Maharashtra Police]]
[[Category:People associated with the 2008 Mumbai attacks]]
[[Category:1991 Lokhandwala Complex shootout]]
[[Category:Counterterrorism in India]]
[[Category:Encounters in India]]
[[Category:Non-military counterterrorist organizations]]

Anti-Terrorism Squad - Revision history

ErwinGholson17 at 19:03, 26 February 2026