150 paramilitary companies de-inducted from Kashmir

TNN Bureau. Updated: 1/19/2017 12:16:40 AM Front Page

WINTER NORMALCY?

SHABIR AHMAD

SRINAGAR: With Kashmir returning to normalcy, over 150 companies of paramilitary forces are being de-inducted and are being sent other states of country where elections are being held next month.
Top Central Reserve Police (CRPF) officials told The News Now that around 50 companies of CRPF have already been withdrawn. "More companies are being withdrawn. They are held because of closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway."
It needs to be mentioned here that a company of CRPF comprises 135 men on paper. However, given the people on leave and training, the strength of a company remains around 100 men on ground.
CRPF spokesman said that the situation has improved and there is also a requirement of these troops in the states where elections are coming up. " The winter this time is severe. About 50 companies left in December and around 30 more left in January so far. I think eight to 10 companies are in the process of withdrawal,"
The senior CRPF officer said that law and order is under control and incidents of stone pelting has lessened too. "Our deployments for counter-insurgency are performing their duties too. We have only withdrawn the additional companies which had arrived in July. These companies will in all probability stay back with their parent units outside the state," he added.
Sources in Police said that apart from CRPF, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has also withdrawn nine companies so far, while Indo Tibetian Border Force (ITBP) has withdrawn 17 companies and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has withdrawn five companies
These additional troops of CRPF, SSB and ITBP were deployed in the valley after Hizbul Commander Burhan Wani's killing on July 8 last year, to aid in quelling the unrest that followed. Violent protests have continue unabated in Kashmir, particularly southern Kashmir after the killing of Burhan.
The additional deployment was made after security agencies found that much of these violent protests coincide with the movement of terrorists in Kashmir.
The counter infiltration grid along the border to prevent infiltration was also strengthened and even then last year has seen the highest infiltration in four years and the highest number of terrorists being killed by the military.
Sixty companies of CRPF that were on Amaranath Yatra were also deployed in Kashmir to quell the unrest.


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