65 more companies of paramilitaries deployed in Kashmir to prevent demonstrations

Additional troops to stay put


Rising Kashmir Sept 13
‘Deployment will continue till normalcy returns’
Wasim Khalid
Srinagar, Sep 12: The authorities have deployed additional 65 companies of para-military personnel in Kashmir and, according to security officials, the heavy deployment of troopers will not be thinned until the assembly elections are held in the State.
Thousands of gun and baton wielding troopers have been deployed across the valley after the recent uprising and staging of massive pro-freedom rallies and marches. Almost every major intersection in city and other parts is being manned by large contingent of troopers.
In most places, CRPF and local police have been deployed to take on protestors. However, in some parts of Valley, BSF and Army have been deployed to prevent people from staging pro-freedom marches and rallies.

“The deployment would remain there until normalcy is restored in the Valley,” CRPF spokesman, Prabhakar Tripathi told Rising Kashmir.
“So far, there has been no relent in the protests and agitation. We have asked our men on the roads to remain extra alert to meet any eventuality,” he said.
Tripathi said that 50 companies of CRPF, which were deployed across the state for peaceful conduct of Amarnath yatra, have been deputed in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley to maintain law and order.
Each CRPF company comprises 135 personnel.
However, he claimed that no additional men have been rushed to Kashmir from outside State.
“Due to normalcy, we used to give longer period of rests to most of our men in the base camps. After the outbreak of agitation, we have deployed additional men on the already existing posts,” he said.
Meanwhile, a senior official of Border Security Force (BSF) based at Sanat Nagar headquarters told Rising Kashmir they have been directed to continue with deployment of their men until elections.
“We have been strictly directed not to downsize the deployment of our personnel till elections are held,” the BSF official said, on condition of anonymity.
He said that keeping in view the present situation in Kashmir, the BSF personnel will continue to assist the police and civil administration in maintaining the law and order situation.
At present, 15 companies of BSF have been stationed in the outskirts of Srinagar. These companies, which were deployed for smooth conduct of yatra, were retained by the authorities after mass uprising in the Valley.
Some BSF companies were airlifted to Srinagar to help the para-military personnel stationed in Kashmir maintain law and order and tackle the situation.
The BSF official, however, said that conditions are not conducive for holding of assembly elections in the State.
The heavy deployment of troopers has met severe condemnation from various quarters.