Updated on Monday, January 05, 2009, 00:00 IST

Thimphu, Jan 05: Faced with increasing acts of terror by Nepal-based Maoist rebels, Bhutan has decided to set up an elite force like India's National Security Guards.

The unit will be formed under the 'Special Reserve Police Force' in the Police Bill, Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) chief Col Kipchu Namgyel said.

"We have to prepare for the future, since terrorist activities are increasing with a series of bomb blasts here (last week), and we know what happened in Mumbai," Namgyel said.

Besides specialised counter terrorism response, the unit will support local police in tackling law and order and shore up security duties.

"They'll be an elite force, which will deal in very specialised areas, like NSG in India," he said.

According to him, resources saved from doing away with the system of orderly system (Nu 1.1 million a month) will be used to set up the force, which is expected to start with around 178 personnel.

The United Revolutionary Front of Bhutan (URFB), believed to be the militant arm of the Nepal-based Communist Party of Bhutan, has claimed responsibility for the attack on Bhutanese forest guards, in which four were killed and two injured.

Four Bhutanese foresters were killed and two injured on December 30 in Sarpang, after their tractor was blown up by an improvised explosive device planted by URFB rebels, who claimed responsibility for the act.

Bureau Report