THE Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is fully equipped and capable of taking the lead role in counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir in case the paramilitary force is tasked to do so, a senior officer of the force has said. He said though the security situation has drastically improved in the Valley in the past three years, the force was alert and keeping a watch on delinquent elements.

“The CRPF has the potential, ability, training, and technology to operate effectively in such (counter-insurgency) scenarios that is all I can say on this issue,” IG CRPF (Kashmir Operations) M S Bhatia told PTI. He was responding to a question about a report in a national daily last month which claimed that the Central Government was actively

considering to withdraw the Army from hinterland operations in Kashmir in a phased manner. “This is a policy issue which is decided at the highest level. And we will go by whatever mandate is given to us. Right now also, we are actively involved in operations along with the Army and J&K Police,” Bhatia said.

The CRPF had replaced the BSF in the counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir in 2005, amid skepticism that the former might not be able to keep up the high standards of the frontier guards.