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Stealthy Manoeuvres
CRPF’s new initiatives on internal security
By Ajit K. Dubey
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After being earmarked as the main Counter Insurgency (CI) Force of the government of India in 2004 after the Kargil war, the Central Reserve Police Force today is engaged in almost all the major internal security (IS) threats facing the country. The force is tackling terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, controlling the insurgency in North East, battling the Maoists in various States apart from handling the routine law and order as well as election duties across the country.
During the initial phase of its induction in the counter insurgency roles, the force suffered a few setbacks but with the passage of time, the force has now started getting a grip over the situation in the areas where the force is deployed. According to A P Maheshwari, Inspector General (operations) of the CRPF, the force had developed the required level of expertise in meeting the challenges. He said, “Having attained high level of expertise, the force is aiding State Police Forces. It merges well with the local security grid to deliver synergetic results, without undermining human values.”
The largest deployment of the 201-battalion strong CRPF is in Jammu and Kashmir. With 72 Battalions, J&K continued to remain the major theatre of deployment for CRPF. 14 Battalions are deployed in Jammu Region and 58 Battalions in Valley. The force has 47 battalions in the north east followed by 32 battalions in states affected by Maoist violence. The remaining 24 Battalions are deployed in rest of India on Internal Security grid including routine law and order duties.
In all the three major grids where the CRPF has been deployed, the operational performance of the force has been improving since its induction in these areas. In three years of its deployment in IS duties, the force has amassed some achievements in CI role. In all the three major grids where it is deployed, the force has liquidated around 700 and apprehended 6956 extremists up to 2007.
A sector-wise look at the CRPF’s deployment also suggests the same story. In J&K, the force has killed 400 militants in three years and apprehended 1017 of them along with seizures of huge cache of arms and ammunition. “Ever since we started taking over from the IS duties from BSF, we have started gaining control over the situation and we can say that things are in our control in the state,” says Maheshwari. Talking about the present situation in J&K, Maheshwari said that though the overall security situation in the state had improved and the terrorist violence had come down, the terror infrastructure was intact and had the capability to strike with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), grenades and suicide attacks. The terrorists recently struck back with an IED blast on the only fly over in Kashmir and attacking a CRPF patrol party. It is believed that with the snow melting on the peaks, the level of violence may also increase in the state.
With its practical experience of dealing with extremists in the north-eastern states, the force has been able to improve its performance. The situation though, remained a concern for the CRPF because of the rising trend of civilian causalities in Assam and deteriorating law and order situation in Manipur. CRPF officials say that with Myanmar and Bangladesh providing safe havens to the terror groups like the ULFA, KLO, NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K), the activities of these groups will continue to trouble the security forces.
In the states affected by Maoist violence, the CRPF claims to have delivered spectacular results. “In terms of liquidation of extremists and recovery of explosives, the performance of CRPF units deployed in the region has been commendable,” says Maheshwari. CRPF is the only central force till now to be deployed in these areas. Arrest of senior Maoist leaders has also helped in a big way in checking Maoist violence. One CPI (Maoist) Sub-Zonal Secretary-cum-Zonal Commander of North Latehar, Abhishek was apprehended in May last year by the CRPF. He was to be promoted as Regional Commander of Bihar Region by the Naxal outfit. On joint interrogation by CRPF, State Police and Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials, he revealed information of a huge cache of arms/ammunition/explosives hidden in the jungle area of Latehar. The force has till now liquidated 246 and apprehended 3641 Maoists since 2005. The force has also suffered casualties but according to force officials, the casualties will go down further in future as the force develops its capabilities in counter guerrilla warfare tactics.
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