NEW DELHI - The southern Indian state of Karnataka has become the first Indian state to set up a special commando unit for protecting tigers in its dense forests from poachers and hunters, according to the Indo-Asian News Service Wednesday.

The 54-strong trained commando unit will be deployed from Wednesday in the two major tiger reserves located in Bandipur and Nagarhole national parks on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, the report quoted the state's Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) B.K. Singh as saying in Bangalore on Tuesday.

The Special Tiger Protection Force comprising 14 deputy forest range officers and 40 young guards have completed a three-month course for learning to survive in the jungle terrain and use various types of weapons at the state police training school.