Broadly reviewing the security, MHA withdraws 72 CAPF companies from Jammu and Kashmir
New Delhi, December 25: Having a detailed and thorough broad security review, the Union Home Ministry on Tuesday issued an order to withdraw around 7,000 paramilitary troops from Jammu and Kashmir. As per the order from the MHA, a total of 72 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been asked with immediate effect to return to their locations across the country. One company of the CAPFs has about 100 personnel.
These units from the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF and the SSB were sent to the Kashmir Valley after the Centre revoked Article 370 that accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir. According to the MHA order, 24 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force are being withdrawn, 12 each of the Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Sashastra Seema Bal are being sent back.
Prior to this, the MHA had withdrawn about 20 such companies from the valley early this month. In the wake of the CAA protests in Assam, the MHA had also withdrawn some companies of the military forces from Jammu and Kashmir to check law and order in Northeast. The Home Ministry has also informed the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir that these security personnel are being withdrawn.
The copy of the order was sent from the Ministry to Inspector Generals (Operations) of the CRPF, the BSF, the ITBP, the CISF and the SSB for necessary follow-up action, and also to CRPF’s Additional Director General and J&K camp in charge Zulfiquar Hasan. “It is to intimate that the matter has further been reviewed in this Ministry. It has been decided to withdraw 72 companies of CAPFs (CRPF-24, BSF-12, CISF-12 and SSB-12) with immediate effect from J&K camp and revert back to their respective locations,” reads the order.
On August 5, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had announced the abrogation of Article 370 in Parliament and moved a Bill to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir with an Assembly and Ladakh without one.