Mission Kashmir successful: Centre orders withdrawal of 10,000 Paramilitary forces from J&K, more to come

The Tatva Staff August 19, 2020

srinagar — Srinagar: Security personnel patrol a street after clashes which erupted after a police vehicle collided with a car in an accident killing a 10th class student Tehseen Ahmed Bhat, at Nowgam in Srinagar, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020. (PTI Photo) (PTI1_7_2020_000081B)

In the biggest de-induction of paramilitary forces after additional troops were rushed to the Union Territory post the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution last August that gave the erstwhile state a unique status, 10,000 soldiers were asked to return to their previous bases.

According to official communication, 40 companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 20 companies each of Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has been withdrawn.

The move from the Home Ministry comes after the Centre reviewed the deployment of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in the union territory (UT).

The CRPF has been asked to make arrangements for air lifting of these units to Delhi and other locations, they said.

A CAPF company has an operational strength of about 100 personnel. The home ministry had last withdrawn about 10 CAPF companies from the UT in May.

With the latest de-induction, the CRPF will have a strength of about 60 battalions (about 1,000 personnel in each battalion) in the Kashmir Valley apart from very few units of other CAPFs.

This withdrawal is being seen as a positive sign that the terrorism in the valley has reduced especially the rebellious protests by the Pakistan-sponsored stone pelters. The educational institutions amidst the pandemic have also now resumed in J&K along with the economy in the UT which is now slowly heading back on track.