The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will not celebrate Holi this year as a mark of respect and tribute to its soldiers who were martyred in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir on February 14. The gallant force has taken the maximum hit this year and in return have also neutralised 210 terrorists in 2018.
The Director General RR Bhatnagar also said that the sacrifices made by the force in the region affected with the left wing extremism have also shown results as the influence of naxals in these area have gone down by 40 per cent.
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"The naxal problem is now restricted to only a few areas, especially Chhattisgarh," he said. While paying tribute to the slain soldiers, the DG said that the force is working in a mobile app which would be used to provide help to the families of the martyrs.
He added that force will not have any "official celebrations" on Holi on March 21 to mark its tribute and respect to the soldiers who?were martyred in Pulwama attack.
"In Jammu and Kashmir, tackling terrorism is a challenge. The force has neutralised 210 terrorists in operations last year in the Kashmir valley," the DG said.
The CRPF celebrated 80 years of its raising day and ever since it has been a key force to main peace internally apart from combating terrorism on J&K and Naxal affected areas apart from the insurgency in the north-east.
On improving the security of the soldiers apart from making more advanced, the DG said that force is procuring advanced weapons, apart from procuring UAVs (drones), light bulletproof jackets, rifles, signal jammers, gunshot locators and ground penetrating radars in order to make the force more effective and combat ready.
"The morale of the force is at the top and I can assure the country that we are prepared to meet any challenge," he said.
AFP
The CRPF is the biggest paramilitary in the world and has about 3 lakh personnel with 246 battalions. It was raised as Crown Representatives Police during the British rule in 1939 and was renamed CRPF post-independence in 1949.
The CRPF, with about 3 lakh personnel, has 246 operational battalions and was raised in 1939 as the Crown Representatives Police during the British rule. It was renamed as the CRPF in 1949.
On 20th March 1950, it was bestowed with the President¡¯s regimental colour by first home minister of the country and the iron man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
(With PTI inputs)