New Delhi, July 16 (IANS) As the security challenges in Jammu and Kashmir heighten following Operation Sindoor, there are speculations that the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is likely to play a bigger role with the deployment of new battalions.

Top sources told IANS, “Around 20 new battalions (20,000 troops) will be raised in a phased manner. However, their deployment will not be limited to J&K.”

The proposal to raise new battalions was raised last October, but it did not yield any results. Although the proposal to raise 20 new battalions is less than the original demand by the CRPF, given the evolving situation in J&K, especially after the deadly Pahalgam attack in which 26 innocent people were killed by Pakistan-based terrorists, followed by Operation Sindoor by the Indian armed forces, the raising of 20,000 additional troops becomes significant.

Over the years, the CRPF has evolved into a vast and complex paramilitary force which comes under the domain of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The CRPF includes a Directorate, four Zonal Headquarters, 21 Administrative Sectors, two Operational Sectors, 39 Administrative Ranges, 17 Operational Ranges, 43 Group Centres, 22 Training Institutions, 4 Composite Hospitals (with 100-bed facilities), 18 Composite Hospitals (with 50-bed capacities), six Field Hospitals, three Central Weapon Stores (CWS), seven Ammunition Workshops (AWS) and 201 General Duty Battalions (GD Bns).

These include- six VIP Security Battalions, six Mahila Battalions, 16 Rapid Action Force (RAF) Battalions, 10 CoBRA Battalions, seven Signal Battalions, one Parliament Duty Group (PDG) and one Special Duty Group (SDG).

The CRPF’s core responsibilities include counter-militancy and insurgency operations, dealing with Left-Wing Extremism, combating aggression during wartime, participation in UN Peacekeeping Missions, rescue and relief operations during natural calamities, crowd control, riot control, and coordination of large-scale security arrangements, particularly during elections in disturbed areas.

–IANS

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