Internal Security: CRPF sees Red, to withdraw from Bastar

05/07/2010
Raipur: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has expressed a desire to withdraw from all interior locations of the worst-hit Naxal area of Bastar in Chattisgarh, a move opposed by the state police.

Official sources, who referred to this wish by CRPF, said the para-military force has also approached Chhattisgarh Police to provide security to its camps at Narayanpur where 27 security personnel were killed in a Naxal ambush recently.

Immediately after the attack, senior CRPF officials were up in arms and said they would be abandoning the post at Durai road if the state police did not guard the two camps in the area, about 300 km from here.

Around 50 police personnel each were rushed to these two camps, a move which was seen as "strengthening of the camps." At least 26 CRPF personnel and one state policeman were killed by Maoists on June 29 when they were returning from road opening duties.

The CRPF has also listed four places in Narayanpur and Dantewada from where they would be shifting their base, the sources said, adding initially the para-military forces wanted to shift their camps closer to the National Highways, which was, however, objected to by the state police.

The CRPF has demanded presence of one-third of district police in every operation and for road opening party. A meeting between the state authorities and the CRPF witnessed heated arguments over the issue and it was decided that road opening duty was exclusively of CRPF domain and there would be no local presence, the sources said.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has also indicated that the CRPF in Chattishargh needs to be relocated and reconfigured. Taking a cue from this, the CRPF has decided to keep a minimum strength of 200 personnel in each camp.

About the rescue and relief on the June 29 killings, the sources said the state authorities pointed out that no help was received from the two camps which were located within five kilometres of the area. The first rescue team came from a CRPF camp located nine kilometres away.

No need to deploy army in Naxal-hit areas: Pillai
The government on Monday said there was no immediate need to deploy army in Maoist-hit regions and it could take nearly seven years to get rid of the menace.

Union Home Secretary G K Pillai, who is on a visit to review the situation in Chhattisgarh, said there was no need to deploy army personnel at present in the Maoist-hit regions. He, however, did not elaborate.

Speaking to reporters at the district headquarters at Kanker, Pillai said that it could take between three and seven years to get rid of the Naxal menace in the country.

Referring to the casualties suffered by paramilitary forces recently, he said the Naxals were taking advantage of situation whereby jawans enter into their territory to fight them. Pillai denied that there was any difference between the state police and the CRPF, saying both the forces were coordinating and working together.

He said the government was speeding up development work in the Naxal-hit regions and the Planning Commission was preparing an integrated development plan for these areas. Pillai reviewed the state's situation at a meeting with top officials.
Source: PTI
CRPF sees Red, to withdraw from Bastar
Rs 14000cr Maoist balm
It is the basic and prima responsibility of the officer commandiing to ensure that their troops are properly motivated and fed during the operation. It is sad to note that the Inspector General who is the supreme authority himself is complaining of his inability, which spells the sad state of affairs. The CRPF recruitment scam too is instrumental in the poor quality and morale of troops inducted. It is time the IPS Officers are made accountabile and not be indulging in the blame game like the Politicians! The weapons lost by CRPF to Naxals are being used to inflict needless casualities!
CRPF troops fighting Naxals face lack of food, water