The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were in the news on Thursday for all the wrong reasons. In two separate incidents involving the paramilitary forces, a CISF personnel opened fire on his colleagues in Aurangabad district of Bihar following a dispute over leave killing four people and a CRPF jawan posted a video on the social media complaining about pay disparity with the Army despite facing similar hardships.
Responding to these incidents, the Government said it was working to ensure better service conditions for the personnel of the paramilitary forces.
The fratricide took place on the campus of Nabinagar Power Generating Company, a joint venture of NTPC and the Bihar Government, when the CISF jawan Balbir, upset over a dispute over leave, allegedly opened fire at his colleagues from his service rifle. Balbir who hails from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, had reportedly come back after a two-month Yoga course and wanted to go on leave.
According to reports, Balbir allegedly used his INSAS rifle to shoot his colleagues who had assembled for the shift change. After the first round of firing he was overpowered by other CISF personnel present there. Balbir has been arrested by the police and the CISF has ordered a Court of Inquiry into the incident.
While two of his colleagues died on the spot, two others died on the way to hospital.
The four CISF personnel killed by Balbir have been identified as Bachcha Sharma, N Mishra, Arvind Kumar and GS Ram.
In the second incident, a video of a CRPF Constable Jeet Singh went viral in which he has demanded pay and benefits for paramilitary personnel at par with the Indian Army. This comes just days after another video of a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav complaining about the bad quality of the food served to the force went viral on the social media.
While saying that this was an old video, the CRPF on Thursday said it had already taken cognizance of the issues raised by the jawan. Jeet Singh had raised these issues when the One-Rank, One-Pension protests were taking place last year.
“This is an old video. The jawan has service-related grievances and is seeking parity in pay and other benefits. An Inspector-General rank officer of the force has already got in touch with him. We have made it clear that if the troops are facing any problems we will address them immediately,” said CRPF Director General K Durga Prasad.
He added, “You always want a better life than what you have. That is what he is asking. He has no complaints from the force. The CRPF has brought all these issues to the knowledge of the 7th Pay Commission.”
Meanwhile talking to the media, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said Government was taking steps to improve the conditions of jawans in paramilitary forces. “Several things have come to light and we are taking them seriously. It is the responsibility of the Government to work for the welfare of the jawans, who are its priority. We are taking steps to ensure better conditions,” he said.