To free up police,J-K govt plans ‘escort’ job for CRPF

According to sources,many VIPs,including politicians,have resented the idea.

At the meeting of Unified Command on July 1,Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had asked DGP Khuldeep Khuda and DG,CRPF,and other concerned to formulate an effective plan within 10 days for the replacement of CRPF. He had asked for reworking of the deployment plan of the police and paramilitary forces according to the present situation.

Sources said the DGP had already held meetings to discuss the modalities for change of guard. In fact,police plan to involve a few of their armed battalions for substituting the CRPF. “In the next fortnight,five battalions of police will also be recruited that will add to the 8,000 men who will be used as a frontline force,” said a top police officer. The selection process for recruitment of the five battalions is in its final stages.

According to Home Ministry sources,over 50,000 CRPF personnel,are currently deployed in Kashmir. And in the first phase,around 20,000 CRPF personnel will be substituted by them.

Meanwhile,the CRPF,which has been at the receiving end during the last fortnight for using excessive force on protestors in Baramulla and was later withdrawn from the town,has reportedly written to their headquarters in New Delhi expressing serious concern over the defamation of force. Sources said a top CRPF officer in the Valley had shot a letter to their higher-ups informing them about the low morale in the force after the recent incidents.