40 CRPF batallions to be deployed in Bihar

PATNA, Mar 15 (UNI) Altogether 40 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) would be deployed in Bihar during the coming Lok Sabha elections, CRPF Director General JK Sinha said today.

"Election Commission had cleared deployment of 40 companies of CRPF in Bihar.

In all 225 companies of the CRPF would be mobilised across the country to hold elections peacefully," he said.

CRPF, entrusted with the responsibilities of internal security, is all set to raise its own intelligence network against terrorists and extremists, he said.

Sinha said steps had been initiated to establish permanent intelligence of the CRPF and the people were being trained for the purpose.

After training these personnel would be deployed in fields and would be provided inputs from there.

He said all other required steps had been taken for an effective intelligence services for the force.

He said four batallions of the CRPF had already been deployed in Bihar to tackle the increasing extremist activities.

Union Minister of State for Home Swami Chinmayanand during his last visit to Bihar had expressed apprehensions of extremist violence during Lok Sabha elections in the country specially in Bihar.

He had suggested the Bihar government to raise India reserve batallion for a permanent solution to the dearth of forces as CRPF had to be mobilised according to the need.

He had also assured full financial help for raising the batallion and had maintained that Maoists in Nepal and Bihar were operating in tandem through Indo-Nepal borders.

The minister had said all necessary arrangements would be made for extensive manning of the borders to check the Naxal menace.

CRPF DG Sinha said the EC had directed that the CRPF to move in troubled areas instead of remaining at the headquarters.

Hence, the jawans would be sent to remote areas.

Regarding modernisation plans of CRPF, Sinha said a five-year modernisation and expansion plan had been taken up to fight insurgency and Naxal operations independently.

He said the organisation was improving its weapons, equipment, mobility and communication systems and a special training programme had been taken up at the cost of Rs 543 crores.

He said 20,000 people would be appointed by CRPF by the next year to enhance its manpower and the recruitment process for 22 new batallions was underway.

After the recruitment process was over CRPF with 200 batallions would be the largest Paramilitary Force in the world.

Sinha admitted that CRPF faced difficulties in operations and other functioning at new places following unfamiliarity with the geographical terrain and said that the intelligence network with their input would prove to be of greater help at such places.