10,000 CAPF troops to move out of J&K

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 19

The government today issued an order to immediately withdraw about 10,000 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) personnel from Jammu & Kashmir. The decision came after a review of the UT’s security situation by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). 

As per the order, 4,000 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and 2,000 each of Border Security Force (BSF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) have been ordered to be withdrawn from the UT.

According to MHA officials, the move is indicative of the improving situation in the newly carved out UT. This is the biggest de-induction of these forces after additional troops were rushed to J&K just before the scrapping of special status to the erstwhile state.

The Home Ministry had last withdrawn 10 CAPF companies from the UT in May, while 72 such units were taken out in December last year.

Officials said the CRPF authorities had been asked to make arrangements for airlifting these units to Delhi and other locations. During the security review, it was felt the counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist grid was intact in the UT. The troops withdrawn could be sent for the much required rest, recuperation and training.

It was also felt that with winters about to set in, it would have been an onerous task to keep these units in makeshift, temporary dwelling units, especially in the Valley.

Three militants killed in Shopian, Handwara

Srinagar: Three militants were killed in Kashmir on Wednesday, the police said. Earlier, an unidentified militant was killed in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir. Following a tip-off, a joint operation was launched by security forces at Molu Chitragam, Shopian, around 3.45 pm. Later, two more militants were killed at Ganawpora Kralgund in Handwara sub-district of north Kashmir. The operation is still on, the police said. TNS