CRPF to bring MPVs to Valley

New Delhi, February 21

After discarding heavy-armoured mine-protected vehicles (MPVs) for anti-Naxal operations, the CRPF has decided to shift the vehicles to the Valley for use by its troops deployed on the road and convoy protection duties in the counter-insurgency grid.

A few years ago, the paramilitary force had rolled back and stationed over 50 such vehicles in its camps in various Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected states after IED blasts targeting them killed many troops.

Director General, CRPF, Prakash Mishra said the force had cut down on the use of the vehicles for anti-Naxal operations “drastically”. “We are not keen (on using MPVs) at all in the LWE areas, but may be, we need them in Kashmir for road opening duties. They (MPVs) are not being used at all (in Naxal-hit areas) except for very acute emergency,” the DG said. — PTI