First major de-congestion of troops post Aug 5
Decision after high-level review by MHA
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 19: Following near normal conditions prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir barring militancy-related incidents in the Valley, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered withdrawal of 100 paramilitary companies totaling 10,000 troops from the Union Territory and shift them to their base locations amid reports that some of them could be later moved to Bihar which is due to go to polls in next couple of months.
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This is the first major withdrawal of the paramilitary personnel from Jammu and Kashmir after large number of additional security forces were deployed in July ahead of August 5, 2019 Central decisions including abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A and bifurcation of erstwhile State into two Union Territories.
Official sources told the Excelsior that 40 companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been ordered to shift from Jammu and Kashmir to their base locations of pre-August deployment. Other paramilitary companies which have been asked to leave the Union Territory include 20 each from Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
The companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) are being withdrawn from both divisions of Jammu and Kashmir, sources said, adding the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has taken the decision of biggest de-induction of paramilitary forces from the Union Territory based on detailed assessment of situation especially in the Valley where law and order remained fully under control post August-5, 2019 with no major protests reported from anywhere.
However, the CRPF is also engaged in anti-militancy operations along with Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in Kashmir.
In May this year, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had withdrawn 10 paramilitary companies from the Union Territory while 72 companies were moved out of J&K in December last year i.e. within five months after their deployment as no law and order problem was reported from the Union Territory following scrapping of special status of J&K.
The Home Ministry has regularly been reviewing the situation in Jammu and Kashmir after it became the Union Territory as there is no elected Government here.
“Situation in Jammu and Kashmir is reviewed regularly by the Ministry of Home Affairs and based on assessment major de-congestion decision has been taken,” sources said, adding the withdrawal process will start immediately.
While the paramilitary personnel have initially been asked to move to their base locations from where they had shifted to Kashmir in July-August, there were reports that some of them might be later sent to Bihar for conduct of Assembly elections there.
The CRPF has been asked to make arrangements for air lifting of these units to Delhi and other locations, sources said.
A CAPF company has an operational strength of about 100 personnel.
“The units that are being withdrawn are deployed both in Jammu and Srinagar. It was felt that the counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist grid is intact in the UT and these additional units that were sent in last year can be de-inducted giving them the much required rest, recuperation and training,” a senior CAPF officer said.
Also, he said, with the winters soon setting in, it would have been an onerous task to keep these units in make-shift and temporary dwelling units especially in the Kashmir valley region.
With the latest de-induction, the lead counter-terrorist force 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 the other CAPFs.
It may be mentioned here that situation had remained entirely peaceful in Jammu and Kashmir post August-5 decisions but the Central Government taking no chance kept the troops deployed in the Union Territory for more than a year. Possibility of de-induction of some more paramilitary personnel from Jammu region, which is completely peaceful, is not ruled out.
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