Center orders withdrawal of 7,000 CRPF troops from four states
What's the story
The Home Ministry has directed the withdrawal of over 7,000 CRPF personnel from their long drawn deployment in four states.
These armed troops, part of seven battalions, will subsequently be re-deployed for conducting operations in Naxal-hit regions of south Bastar in Chhattisgarh.
The force was deployed to carry out anti-Naxal operations in West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand whereas for internal security-related duty in UP.
Battalions
Paramilitary says it requires more battalions in Chhattisgarh
Official sources said the move to take out the Central Reserve Police Force battalions from these states has come after a long time.
The sources further said that the Home Ministry ordered for their marching after the paramilitary made a demand to it that it requires more battalions in Chhattisgarh in order to open more bases in the Maoist hotbed in Chhattisgarh.
Districts
Sukma, Dantewada, Bijapur, Kanker, Kondagaon witness maximum movement of Maoists
As the biggest Left Wing Extremism (LWE) combat challenge is now in south Bastar, that borders Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra, it is required to enhance the number of CRPF boots in these areas, sources said.
The districts of Sukma, Dantewada, Bijapur, Kanker, and Kondagaon witness the maximum movement and activity of the armed Maoist cadres, the sources added.
Re-deployment process
Re-deployment to be completed by year-end: CRPF official
The LWE theater in all the states from where the battalions have been ordered to be taken out, except Uttar Pradesh, have seen a marginal dip in the strength and control of Naxals and the forces are now in the dominating position, CRPF official said.
We expect that the re-deployment of CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh to be completed by the year-end, he said.
Information
CRPF has about 30 battalions deployed in Chhattisgarh
The Home Ministry has asked the Chhattisgarh government to provide "adequate logistics and accommodation" for these new incoming units. The CRPF has about 30 battalions deployed in Chhattisgarh at present. A CRPF battalion has over 1,000 troops.