CRPF men find J&K safer than Maoist killing fields

NEW DELHI: In the Maoist heartland of Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, a posse of CRPF jawans carrying night vision-enabled X 95 assault rifles patrols the road that snakes through thick forests. It's barely a few months ago that were posted in Chhattisgarh after a two-year stint in Kashmir. Yet, the CRPF men — belonging to different states from Kerala to Assam — already missed Kashmir sorely.

Though counter-intuitive, J&K, perceived as a graveyard for Indian security forces, has emerged as a coveted posting for CRPF men battling the Maoists. It is a telling statement on the challenge posed by the far-Left insurgents in contrast to the relative success of security operations in J&K.

Currently, there are 65 CRPF battalions in J&K and the force is trying to further reduce its footprint. In the Maoist zone spread across nine states, 70 CRPF battalions are posted and there is demand for more. Senior CRPF officers have to contend with scores of applications from officers and jawans citing reasons why they should not be posted in a Maoist-hit area.

"We could at least sleep in peace at night in Kashmir when we were not on duty. In Maoist areas, we are on tenterhooks day and night," said a CRPF commandant.

CRPF is the nodal agency conducting joint anti-Maoist operations in nine states. Danger lurks in every corner of Maoist-hit areas. "Maoists are an invisible enemy who can strike anywhere and at any time. It's easier fighting terrorists in Kashmir," said an officer who served in Kashmir.

The Maoists fight a mobile guerrilla war. They have attacked police stations, camps and jails day and night. Dozens of security forces were ambushed and killed by Maoists.

The biggest danger though is from landmines or improvised explosive devices planted by Maoists along roads and even outside schools. For instance, Maoists planted landmines and blew up a school where the CRPF had camped in a village in Jharkhand's Khunti district about two years ago. Security forces in anti-landmine vehicles, too, are killed in landmine explosion. Maoists blew up an anti-landmine vehicle on October 18 in Bihar's Gaya district killing six CRPF men.

There are many instances of killing of security force personnel not on duty or while carrying ration in civvies for remote camps in Maoist-affected areas in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh or Odisha.
Source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/CRPF-men-find-JK-safer-than-Maoist-killing-fields/articleshow/16946175.cms