50 companies from CRPF, BSF moved to protect citizens
The Centre has mobilised 50 companies, 25 each from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Border Security Force (BSF) for deployment in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in the wake of a spurt in violence against minorities and migrant labourers being fuelled by the terror affiliates of Pakistan’s covert agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to foment terrorism in the Valley.
The latest mobilisation also coincides with Intelligence reports suggesting that the ISI has distributed over 3,000 Afghan SIMs in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) and it is suspected that the notorious spy agency could be using these SIMs for facilitating both Pakistani terrorists as well as pushing Afghan mujahideens into the Valley to stoke violence with a renewed bid to unsettle the security scenario in the areas in this side of the Line of Control (LoC).
The Afghan SIMs could come in handy to the Pakistan ISI-military complex to deny its inherent role in the terrorist action in J&K, sources said.
Pakistan has been unnerved by the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile State of J&K into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh in August 2019, they said.
The 50 companies (over 5,000 personnel) have been detailed for deployment for security duties and to augment the law order roles of the police, according to the recent order from the J&K Police headquarters.
Out of the 50 companies, as many as 30 companies (CRPF- 11 companies and BSF- 19 companies) have been allocated for Srinagar district alone followed by five companies for Anantnag and three companies each for Ganderbal, Pulwama and Shopian.
Two companies each have been allotted for Kulgam, Awantipora and Baramulla.
A total of 11 companies of the BSF will replace a similar strength of the CRPF deployed for Road Opening Patrol (ROP) duty from Panthachowk to Narbal crossing in Srinagar.
Eight companies of the BSF shall replace a similar number of contingent of the CRPF deployed for static/vital installation duties in Srinagar district. The BSF will now secure Banquet Hall, Srinagar, AIR, Kashmir, BSNL Exchange Lal Chowk, Old Secretariat Srinagar, SC/Divisional Commissioner Office, Radio Station Narbal, Hari Parbat Fort and Tengpora Bridge.
Likewise, two companies of the BSF will protect Gujar Hostel and Forest Protection Shirmal in Shopian. Another three companies of the BSF will replace the CRPF units in Pulwama to secure the District Jail and BSNL Exchange/SBI/Post Office and District Police Lines in the district.
All the 25 CRPF companies pooled out from the static guard/vital installation/ROP duties will be utilised for counter-insurgency and other such roles by the respective districts.
Senior Superintendent of Police of Srinagar will be provided 11 companies from the new induction and his counterparts in Ganderbal and Shopian will get two companies each from the CRPF. SSP Pulwama will be allotted three CRPF companies.
While the 25 companies of the CRPF have already reached the respective locations, the BSF personnel are learnt to be on the way for the designated deployments, officials said.
Over 60 battalions of the Central paramilitary forces are deployed in J&K for counter-insurgency and other security roles in the Union Territory and the additional allocation would increase the tally to 65 Battalions. A battalion typically comprises 1,000 personnel.
Insiders in the Central paramilitary forces said the micro-management or the detailed deployment of the paramilitary forces should be left to the Central forces with the Union Territory being notified under the Disturbed Areas Act and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in operation, officials added.
