NEW DELHI: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has withdrawn a battalion comprising more than 1,000 personnel from Chhattisgarh’s anti-Naxal operations theatre and moved it to Manipur for deployment, officials said.
The move marks the first full withdrawal of a Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) battalion from the anti-Naxal theatre since the Union government declared in March that armed Maoism in the country had ended.
The battalion was stationed in Sukma district in the south Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, a former Maoist stronghold. It had been involved in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) operations for several years before shifting to de-mining activities and defusing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) after March, officials told PTI.
A senior security officer based in Delhi said the CRPF headquarters had ordered the withdrawal of the general duty battalion to strengthen the force's presence in Manipur, where ethnic violence has continued for more than three years.
The move follows the deployment of two battalions of the CRPF's specialised jungle warfare unit, the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), in Manipur a few months ago. Other regular CRPF units and the Rapid Action Force have also been deployed in the state.
Manipur has witnessed a substantial deployment of security personnel since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023. Officials said the latest battalion could face logistical and accommodation challenges, and directions had been issued to ensure adequate arrangements for its personnel.
The CRPF headquarters has also directed that the posts and duties handled by the withdrawing battalion in Chhattisgarh be taken over by neighbouring CRPF units and the state police.
However, a senior Chhattisgarh Police officer said the withdrawal could create a “vacuum” in the anti-Naxal operations grid. The battalion had recently participated in a major de-mining and IED-defusing operation in Sukma to secure routes for public use, the officer said.
The CRPF has been at the forefront of anti-Naxal operations, with more than one lakh personnel deployed for the task. Its presence in Chhattisgarh included over 25 regular and CoBRA battalions.
The Delhi-based security officer also said there was a proposal to withdraw at least three more paramilitary battalions from the anti-Naxal theatre in Chhattisgarh and Odisha. These units could be deployed in Manipur and along the Pakistan and Bangladesh borders.
The officer said the withdrawals also reflected improving security conditions in the Maoist-affected region and would allow local police forces to take on a greater role in maintaining law and order.
(With inputs from PTI)