10 Bns of BSF, CRPF sent to Maoist areas

News from Kashmir, Wasim Khalid
Srinagar, Aug 18: At least 10 battalions of paramilitary CRPF and BSF have been shifted out from the State to tackle Naxal violence in different Indian states.
“Three battalions would be shifted out from Jammu region while two would be taken out from Kashmir,” CRPF spokesman Prabhakar Tripathi told Rising Kashmir.

Stating that the de-induction process started since August 17, he said, “We were waiting for the completion of Amarnath Yatra. Now that the yatra has ended peacefully, the CRPF battalions deployed for security of the pilgrimage would be shifted out and deployed in the Naxal hit areas”.

He said the void created by the de-induction would be compensated by the personnel deployed in the nearby battalions located at a certain place.

The CRPF spokesman said due to the soft decline in militancy in the State, it has been decided to move out five battalions to fight Naxal violence. “The de-induction was carried out after receiving nod from Home Ministry,” he said.

About 77 CRPF battalions are deployed in Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, on the instructions of home ministry, 16 battalions of para military forces were moved out in phased manner from the State and deployed in Naxal affected area.

DIG BSF Kashmir Frontiers, S K Singh told Rising Kashmir that five battalions of the border guards deployed on Amarnath route have been de-inducted. “These battalions would be sent to border areas like Rajasthan and Punjab. The battalions relieved at these two places would be deployed in Naxal hit region of Chattisgarh”.
Another BSF official, pleading anonymity said of the five battalions, three would be moved out from Kupwara while two others would be pulled back from Bandipore.
“There is immense pressure on Union home ministry to tackle the naxalite violence spread over more than eight states. The problem is increasing with each passing day,” he said, adding, “The situation in Naxal-hit areas have become more serious than Kashmir”.

The clamor is growing in Indian camp to deploy its forces in naxal infested states like West Bengal, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh to new guerilla zones in other states like Orissa, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to tackle the unexpected rising insurgency.

The paramilitary officials said earlier centre has carved out a ‘Cobra force’ to start an anti-naxalite movement. “It was grossly insufficient. The force comprised 10 bns of CRPF. They were specially trained and equipped. Now they are raising more ten battalions of cobra force to fight the Naxalites,” a paramilitary official said. Rising Kashmir