Owais Gul
SRINAGAR: Putting speculations aside, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) today said that deployment of 100 additional companies of paramilitary Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in Kashmir was a routine induction.
Inspector General (IG) CRPF Ravideep Sahi said that there was nothing special in the order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding the deployment of 100 additional companies of paramilitary CAPFs in Kashmir.
“Induction of forces is a continuous process and as and when the need is felt to strengthen the law and order grid and also anti-militancy front more forces are inducted. In the past we also had the induction. It is a routine induction and nothing special in it,” Sahi told reporters on the sidelines of the 81st raising day of the paramilitary forces.
The deployment of 100 additional companies of CAPFs comes barely a day after the conclusion of National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval’s two-day visit to Kashmir. The deployment of more paramilitary forces on an urgent basis has sparked speculations here even as Centre has not given any specific reasons behind it.
However, the rumours are rife that the BJP government was likely to scrap Articles 370 and 35A within the first 100 days of its governance and rushing more forces is likened with it. Also, Director General of Police Dilbag Singh had said that 200 additional companies of CAPFs were sought from the Union Home Ministry.
“They have agreed to give 100 additional companies. We are quite confident to get another 100 additional companies for the State soon to further beef-up security arrangements and give boost to the Counter-Insurgency Grid,” Dilbag said was quoted as saying by a Jammu-based newspaper.
Meanwhile, the IG CRPF said the overall situation in the valley including south Kashmir was “under control.” “Overall I would say that the situation is under control. The militancy activities have shown a downward trend and similarly the stone pelting incidents have come down. This is a result of the coordinated efforts of the various security forces,” he added.