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Centre strengthens NIA to tackle 'all theatres of terrorism' with renamed, reinforced unit

NEW DELHI: To dismantle the alleged influence of global terror groups in India, the Centre has rechristened the ISIS Investigation Research Cell (IIRC) of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as the Counter Terrorism Research Cell (CTRC) and almost doubled its strength, with the aim of covering all aspects of terrorism. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said on Tuesday that the ISIS Investigation Research Cell (IIRC), set up in 2018 under the NIA, has been renamed as the Counter Terrorism Research Cell (CTRC) with an aim to include all theatres of terrorism. The Government has created ISIS Investigation Research Cell (IIRC) in NIA in January 2018 and broadened its scope to other theatres of terrorism and renamed it as Counter Terrorism Research Cell (CTRC), Rai said. The Centre is now looking beyond the threat posed by one group, the Islamic State (ISIS). Rai also said several other specialised additions have been made to modernise and strengthen the NIA. These include the Anti-Human Trafficking Division (AHTD), the Anti-Cyber Terrorism Division (ACTD), the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) cell, and the Financial Analysis Unit (FAU). He further informed the House about the creation of another specialised unit, the National Terror Data Fusion and Analysis Centre (NTDFAC), to enable big data analytics and facilitate the automation and digitisation of investigative processes for enhanced efficiency and accountability. On the increase in force strength, the minister said the agency currently has a total of 1,901 posts, of which 769 have been sanctioned over the last five years. Further, the mandate of NIA has also been expanded to investigate offences related to the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, human trafficking, cyber terrorism and the Arms Act, 1959. Footprint of NIA has been expanded pan-India, by establishing 21 branch offices in different parts of the country, with two zonal offices (in Guwahati and Jammu) and headquarters at Delhi, the minister said in his reply.