CRPF building hub with Cobra HQs in Jangalmahal soon

The CRPF is building a major hub in restive Jangalmahal to tackle Maoist violence.

The CRPF is building a major hub in restive Jangalmahal to tackle Maoist violence in the area that stretches up to the Jharkhand border. The headquarters of the 207 Battalion Cobra force and a training centre would come up over 143 acres of land at Salboni in West Midnapore district soon,CRPF IG (Operations) in West Bengal Alok Raj said today. The land has already been finalised and work has begun, he said after meeting senior state government officials.

Raj,who has been transferred here from his previous posting as the force’s IG (Operations) in Jharkhand,met Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh,Home Secretary G D Gautama and DGP Naparajit Mukherjee and discussed with them the situation prevailing in Jangalmahal which comprises the three districts of West Midnapore,Bankura and Purulia. Raj,who took over charge yesterday,said talks with the state government on taking over another 47 acres of land at Tangasol in West Midnapore district for setting up headquarters of the 165 Battalion of the CRPF were in their final stage.

Raj,who was the acting DIG of CRPF during Nandigram violence in East Midnapore district,said though the situation in Jangalmahal improved ever since the Assembly election was announced,paramilitary force is continuing with its operation there.

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At present the CRPF has 36 companies out of which 35 are posted in Jangalmahal and the remainder in Kolkata. The Force has another 20 companies in the state,with seven companies each in West Midnapore and Bankura districts and six companies in Purulia district,Raj said. All 20 companies,deployed on election duty,would be withdrawn by May 20,167 Battalion CRPF Commandant Shyamchand De said.

De said that talks were continuing with the state government regarding possession of two plots of 16.36 acres and 43.64 acres at Bamunpara in the Jhargram police station area in West Midnapore district for shifting of the headquarters of the 167 Battalion from its existing Kolkata office on Strand Road.

A piece of 52.30-acre land in the Kotoali police station area in West Midnapore district was also discussed with the state government for setting up an office of the DIG operations of the Force,he said.

The CRPF has also taken up various social programmes in Jangalmahal to let people know about the area and its “human face”,De added.

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