Greyhounds training base will be at Relli in Vizianagaram

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Greyhounds, an elite anti-Naxal force, is set to establish a training centre in the S.Kota Assembly Constituency, near Araku Valley. Higher authorities from the Greyhounds inspected a large parcel of land in Relli village, Kottavalasa mandal, Vizianagaram district, for this purpose.

Previously, around 526 acres of land, including govt and private land, was acquired for the construction of the Central Tribal University of AP (CTUAP). However, the YSRCP govt shifted the CTUAP to Kuntivalasa village, located between Gajapatinagaram and Saluru Assembly Constituencies.

RK Meena, the Greyhounds chief and an Additional Director General (ADG) rank officer, stated, "Police officers visited the Relli site and the govt is planning for a training centre at that land parcel. A final decision is yet to be taken by the govt. The Greyhounds wing needs a training centre in AP on lines of the facility at Hyderabad in the combined AP state ."

The current operational base of the Greyhounds is situated on a hill near Timmapuram village on the Rushikonda-Bheemili beach road. The elite force requires separate bases for training and operations, similar to the arrangement in Hyderabad during the combined Andhra Pradesh era.

Initially, the state govt had allocated 385 acres for the training centre at Jagannadhapuram village in Chandaka panchayat, Anandapuram mandal. However, the land was not handed over to the Greyhounds. With the state govt now proceeding with the construction of the Tribal University at Kuntivalasa, the police department visited the site at Relli village, which was earlier earmarked for the university.

A senior police officer commented that the site was so big and would suit the training purpose of the Greyhounds. The operational base at Timmapuram would continue at the same site. Though the Naxal menace has been under control in the AP state, the elite force would continue with the combing operations and avoid any intrusion of Naxals from the neighbouring states such as Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
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