Profile of Indian Paramilitary Forces – I Central Reserve Police Force

31 Oct, 2001    ·   629

Mallika Joseph profiles the Central Reserve Police Force, the oldest Indian paramilitary force
Mallika Joseph
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was originally raised as the “Crown Representative’s Police” on 27 July 1939 in Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh). The main function of the force was to preserve law and order in the princely states. After independence, through an Act of Parliament on 28 December 1949, it was renamed the Central Reserve Police Force.

 

 

The primary role of the CRPF is to assist the state administrations in the maintenance of law and order. The bulk of the CRPF companies are deployed in Jammu and Kashmir and North East India. Some companies are also deployed in Bihar , Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh to tackle the Naxalites. It is also deployed in many states to oversee the peaceful conduct of elections. Additionally, CRPF personnel are involved in rescue and relief operations in the event of natural calamities and accidents. 

 

 

The current strength of the CRPF is 167,367. It has a total of 137 battalions, of which 119 are Executive battalions, 10 Rapid Action Force battalions, 2 Mahila (women) battalions, 5 Signal battalions and 1 Special Duty group. 

 

 

Two CRPF battalions and one company of a Mahila (women) battalion were deployed as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka . The CRPF was also a part of the Indian contingent deputed to the UN Peace Keeping Force that was sent to Haiti , Namibia and Somalia . They were also part of the forces sent to the Maldives to deal with the law and order situation there.

 

 

The CRPF is the only paramilitary force in the country which has Mahila battalions. The first Mahila battalion, raised in 1986, received recognition for its work during the Meerut riots and later as part of the IPKF in Sri Lanka . The second Mahila battalion was raised in 1996 and was deployed in Srinagar , Ayodhya, Assam and Gandhinagar. The Mahila Battalions have been entrusted with security duty to protect the pilgrims undertaking the Amarnath Yatra from Pahalgam to the Holy Cave .

 

 

To deal with communal riots and riot like situations, 10 battalions of the CRPF were converted and reorganized to form the Rapid Action Force (RAF) on 7 October 1992. The RAF is located at 10 communally sensitive locations to facilitate quick deployment. The RAF has also been part of many rescue and relief operations in the aftermath of major accidents. During the devastating earthquake in Gujarat on 26 January 2001, the RAF deployed in Ahmedabad and Bhuj, undertook rescue operations and saved more than 150 persons trapped in the debris. RAF personnel distributed 33750 water packets, 32425 food packets, provided medical treatment to 5488 injured people and transported 1090 victims requiring immediate medical attention to specialized medical camps. 

 

 

During the period January to May 2001, 93 militants were killed and 54 apprehended; 132 weapons and 4631 rounds of ammunition were recovered. A total of 850 CRPF personnel have been killed and a further 3400 injured in various areas from 1988 until June 2001.

 

 

The CRPF has also undertaken the job of massive tree plantation. In Orissa, approximately 24,000 hectares of the Barbera Forest have been adopted by the CRPF for preservation and protection of flora since 1993. The Force has been able to effectively check the illegal felling of trees and poaching of wild life. Forest wealth of about 83.66 lakhs has been recovered in addition to assisting in the seizure and dismantling of more than 40 illegal saw mills operating in the area.

 

 

CRPF has its own academy, namely, the National Internal Security Academy in Mt. Abu (Rajastan), which provides basic and in-service training. Additionally, it has three Central Training Colleges and four Recruit Training Centres.  Courses on counter insurgency and anti-terrorist operations are regularly conducted at the Central Training Colleges. The training colleges also have a Research and Development Cell that analyses new trends in insurgency and militancy, and advises changes so that the manpower is better equipped to meet the new challenges in internal security management. The subject of Human Rights has been included in the syllabus of basic training, in-service and promotional courses. 

 

 

Rs. 2072 crores has been provisioned for the CRPF in the budget of 2001-2002. This has registered an increase of 17% from the previous year’s provision of Rs. 1796 crores. In 1999-2000, the expenditure stood at Rs. 1130 crores. 

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