The Andhra Pradesh government will set up an anti-terrorism cell with 13,000 personnel to combat terrorism in the state.

Disclosing this to newsmen on Thursday evening, Home Minister K Jana Reddy said that the ATC would come into existence as soon as the expert committee, which has been constituted to work out the modalities, submits its report to the government.

He said that new cell would entail an annual expenditure of Rs 300 crore, including Rs 250 crore towards recurring expenditure and Rs 50 crore for non-recurring expenditure. The 13,000 personnel of the new cell will be drawn from different wings of the police.

The home minister reviewed the security arrangements for the forthcoming Ganesh Chaturthi and Ramzan festivals, which will commence in mid-September.

He said that in view of the twin bomb blasts that rocked Hyderabad on August 25 claiming 42 lives, the state government would leave no stone unturned to make fool-proof bandobust to ensure smooth conduct of Ganesh and Ramzan festivals.

He pointed out that a strong contingent of 10,000 police personnel would be deployed to ensure peace and tranquility and communal harmony in the city during the twin festivals.

As many as 4,500 police personnel, drawn from the City Police and the Cyberabad Police, besides six to eight companies of Rapid Action Force, 160 platoons of Andhra Pradesh Special Police, some companies of Central Reserve Police Force would be deployed from September 10 to 26.

Refuting the allegations appearing in the media that the police were targeting a particular community in connection with the recent twin blasts in the city, Reddy reiterated that the police were picking up only the suspects.

Anybody found innocent will be released, he added.

Reddy said that twin blasts had national and international ramifications, and it would not be possible to reveal day-to-day progress and developments with regard to these cases.

Investigations, he said, were progressing smoothly and facts would be placed before the people at an appropriate time.

He appealed to the people to cooperate with the government to maintain law and order.

Reddy also urged the print and electronic media not to create panic among the people through speculative stories.