News Analysis India

Tag: CRPF

  • Chhattisgarh: 13 Naxals surrender in Bastar region

    By PTI
    SUKMA: Thirteen Naxals, including a couple, surrendered in two districts of Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region on Friday, which was the last day of the outlawed movement’s ‘Jan Pituri week’, police said.

    While eight ultras turned themselves in before police and CRPF officials in Sukma district, five surrendered in neighbouring Dantewada, they said.

    “Of the eight surrendered cadres, Vanjam Bheema is a member of the Naxals’ platoon number 4 in section B and carried a reward of Rs 2 lakh on his head. His wife, Madavi Kalawati, a member of the Maoists’ cultural outfit Chetna Natya Mandali (CNM), also surrendered,” Sukma Superintendent of Police KL Dhruv said.

    The six others, identified as Ravi, Kosa, Deva, Dirdo Ganga, Sodi Dula and Kawasi Deva, were active as lower-rung members of the banned outfit, he said, adding that Deva handed over a muzzle-loading gun.

    In their statement, the surrendered ultras cited disappointment with the “hollow” Maoist ideology as well as the exploitation of lower-rung cadres by senior Naxal leaders, Dhruv said.

    All eight were given an encouragement amount of Rs 10,000 each, he said.

    In Dantewada, five ‘jan militia; members surrendered at Kirandul police station as a part of the police’s rehabilitation drive ‘Lon Varratu’, another official said.

    With this surrender, 368 Naxals, including 96 carrying rewards on their heads, have laid down arms in the district under the campaign, the name of which means return to your home/village in the local Gondi dialect.

    Naxals observe Jan Pituri week from Hune 5 to June 11 to pay homage to their slain colleagues, and during this period, security forces step up patrolling to thwart any untoward incident, officials said.

  • Jharkhand: CRPF jawan shoots himself dead after killing colleague

    By PTI
    CHATARA: Two CRPF jawans were killed in Chatra after one of them opened fire at the other before shooting himself, a police official said Tuesday. The incident took place at a COVID isolation building located in ITI College of Simaria police station area, about 17 km from Chatra district headquarters of Jharkhand. But, no infected person is there presently.

    “Prime-facie it appears a case of suicide by one of the jawans Kalu Ram Gurjar, who on being prevented from committing suicide first shot another jawan Ravindra Kumar and then killed himself. “Both were alone in the room at the time of the incident,” Superintendent of Police, Chatra, Risabh Jha told PTI.

    Jha said the incident is being probed and the bodies of both the jawans have been sent for post-mortem. Senior officials including the SP, and commandant of the 190 CRPF battalion Pawan Kumar have rushed to the spot.

    The deceased CRPF jawans have been identified as Kalu Ram Gurjar, 35 from Rajasthan and Ravindra Kumar, 40 from Haryana.

    Both the jawans are said to have died on the spot. Initially the reports said that both the jawans had fired at each other. The SP said that a detailed investigation into the incident is on.

  • A CRPF jawan shoots himself after killing a colleague

    By PTI
    CHATARA: Two CRPF jawans were killed in Chatra after one of them opened fire at the other before shooting himself, a police official said Tuesday.

    The incident took place at a COVID isolation building located in ITI College of Simaria police station area, about 17 km from Chatra district headquarters of Jharkhand. But, no infected person is there presently.

    “Prime-facie it appears a case of suicide by one of the jawans Kalu Ram Gurjar, who on being prevented from committing suicide first shot another jawan Ravindra Kumar and then killed himself.

    “Both were alone in the room at the time of the incident,” Superintendent of Police, Chatra, Risabh Jha told PTI.

    Jha said the incident is being probed and the bodies of both the jawans have been sent for post-mortem. Senior officials including the SP, and commandant of the 190 CRPF battalion Pawan Kumar have rushed to the spot.

    The deceased CRPF jawans have been identified as Kalu Ram Gurjar, 35 from Rajasthan and Ravindra Kumar, 40 from Haryana.

    Both the jawans are said to have died on the spot. Initially the reports said that both the jawans had fired at each other. The SP said that a detailed investigation into the incident is on.

  • Family problem leads to CRPF fratricide and suicide in Jharkhand

    By Express News Service
    RANCHI: A CRPF personnel shoots himself after killing one of his colleagues due to some unknown reasons in Chatra district of Jharkhand. 

    Both of them were posted at Covid isolation center at ITI College in Simaria.

    SP Rishabh Jha, Commandant of 190 CRPF Battalion Pawan Kumar Basan and other officials of district police rushed to the spot immediately after the incident.

    “Prima facie, it appears that the jawan first killed his colleague before shooting himself. We are looking into the matter to find out the reasons behind firing,” said Jha. 

    The persons who opened fire is said to be having some family issues due to which he opened fired on his colleague, he added.

    The two CRPF personnel have been identified as Constable Kalu Ram Gurjar and Cook Ravindra Kumar. One is from Haryana and the other one belonged to Rajasthan.

    Initially, it was reported that the two CRPF personnel opened fire at each other due to which they were killed. Later, senior police officials reached the spot and narrated the incident.

    (If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call AASRA’s 24×7 Helpline: +91-9820466726 for assistance.)

  • CRPF DG Kuldiep Singh gets additional charge of National Investigation Agency

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: CRPF chief Kuldiep Singh has been given the additional charge of the Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to replace YC Modi, who retires on Monday, a Home Ministry order said.

    Modi, a 1984-batch IPS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, was appointed chief of the federal anti-terror probe agency in September 2017.

    Consequent upon superannuation of YC Modi, DG, NIA, on May 31, 2021, the competent authority has approved that Kuldiep Singh, Director General, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), shall hold additional charge of the post of DG, NIA, till the appointment and joining of the successor or until further orders, the MHA order issued on Saturday said.

  • Two LeT militants involved in murder of two BJP councilors and cop, killed in Sopore gunfight

    Express News Service
    SRINAGAR: Two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday evening. The militants were involved in the March 29 attack on the Municipal office in Sopore in which two BJP councilors and a police officer were murdered. 

    A police official said a joint contingent of police, CRPF and army launched a search operation at Nathipora area of Sopore in Baramulla district in the afternoon after receiving inputs about presence of militants there.

    He said that after plugging off all the possible escape routes, the security men zeroed-in on the target house, where the militants were hiding.

    Finding themselves trapped in the security forces cordon, militants fired on the troops to breach the cordon.

    The security men retaliated and in the ensuing gunfight, which continued till late evening, two Lashkar militants were killed, the police official said.

    The deceased militants were identified as a local militant Wasim Ahmed Lone R/o Sopore and a foreign militant Hamas alias Asrar alias Saria, who was active since March 2018 in north Kashmir. 

    According to a police spokesman, both the slain militants were involved in several planning and executing of attacks on security establishments.

    “Hamas was also the mastermind of March 29 militant attack on municipal office Sopore alonwith a local militant Mudasir Pandit alias Maaz,” he said.

    In the March 29 militant attack, two BJP Municipal councillors and a policeman were killed.

    The police spokesman said an AK-47 rifle, 1 Insas rifle and other incriminating materials were recovered from the encounter site.

    “The search operation is going on,” he said.

  • Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla gets ‘Y’ category security cover from CRPF

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Serum Institute of India’s CEO Adar Poonawalla has been accorded ‘Y’ category security across India by the CRPF in view of “potential threats” to the businessman, involved in the production of one of the COVID-19 vaccines in India, the Union government officials said on Wednesday.

    The Central government decision came after Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), Prakash Kumar Singh had written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on April 16 requesting security for Poonawalla.

    According to officials, the protection has been given in view of “potential threats” to Poonawalla.

    Armed commandos of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will be with him every time he travels to any part of the country, they said and added that the ‘Y’ security cover will entail a posse of about 4-5 armed commandos with him.

    Covishield, one of the two COVID-19 vaccines used in India’s COVID-19 vaccination programme, is being manufactured by SII.

    The other vaccine being used in the country is Covaxin made by Bharat Biotech.

    In this letter, Singh had stated that Poonawalla has been getting threats from various groups regarding the COVID-19 vaccine supplies.

    In this letter, Singh also said, “we are working shoulder to shoulder to fight against COVID-19 pandemic with the Government of India under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji.”

  • Maoists allege drone attack on cadre in Chhattisgarh, forces reject claim

    Express News Service
    RAIPUR: The outlawed CPI (Maoist) on Wednesday accused the security forces of carrying out drones attacks against their cadre in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, a claim denied by the forces.

    “At least a dozen bombs were dropped on the rebels using drones in Bijapur district,” Vikalp, the spokesperson for the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee of the banned outfit, said in a statement.

    “This was the first airstrike on us. It happened around 3 am on April 19. As we managed to change our locations, we suffered no loss,” Vikalp said. 

    The CRPF rejected the claim as propaganda.

    “Such groundless allegations reflect a desperate attempt by the Maoists to garner the support of local people who are drifting away from the them,” an official said.

  • Villagers’ claim of firing in Deganga polling booth baseless: Bengal Police

    The villagers had alleged that the CRPF personnel deployed at booth number 215 at Kurulgachcha in Deganga in North 24 Parganas during the fifth phase of polling had fired at a crowd outside.

  • ‘Didn’t lose hope, maintained my cool’: CRPF commando abducted by Naxals

    By PTI
    JAMMU: For CRPF commando Rakeshwar Manhas patience was the key to his survival as he spent five days in a Chhattisgarh jungle after being taken captive by Naxals following an ambush that killed 22 members of his team.

    “I did not lose hope in the most difficult situation and I maintained my cool,” said the 35-year-old who returned to his home here on Friday.

    Manhas had gone missing during a deadly encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on April 3.

    The gunfight left 22 security forces personnel dead and several others injured.

    He was released from captivity by the Naxals on April 8.

    Manhas was accorded a rousing reception by his family and villagers after he reached his native Barnie village on the outskirts of the city.

    He said his mother’s prayers kept him alive while in enemy’s custody.

    “I was not even sure if I would be released. I owe my second life to my mother. Her prayers gave me the fresh lease of life, as no one so far has come back alive from the captivity of Naxals, ” Manhas said His mother Kunti Devi said, “I prayed to Mata Vaishnodevi for the release of my son. My prayers were heard and he came back to me safe and sound. It was blessing of Mata that he is alive today,” She said.

    As Manhas reached home, his family heaved a sigh of relief. His Daughter Raghvi was seen hugging him.

    His wife Muni said the ‘bad phase’ of their life has ended.

    “I am happy that my husband is back. It is because of the prayers of the family and hundreds of countrymen that he is with us today. I thank all of them,” she said.

    The villagers expressed admiration for the soldier for his grit and determination while in enemy’s captivity.

    “We are proud of him. He has been fighting for the nation. We are happy that he is back in his village,” said Dheeraj Chand.

    Manhas says he feels sad for the families of the fallen jawans.

    “We cannot forget their supreme sacrifice. Each one among them is a hero,” he said.

    Mahnas is hopeful to join the force soon.