NEW DELHI: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has shunted out the chief of CoBRA Raju Bhargava to Jorhat (Assam) in the wake of first ever mass desertion of commandos of the specialised anti-Naxal force.
The CRPF headquarters issued the order on Wednesday evening transferring Bhargava who will now be replaced by Harpreet Singh Sidhu who recently reported at the paramilitary directorate after completion of a long-term course.
Bhargava will replace Inspector General (Operations) of CRPF at Jorhat Satpal Kapoor who has now been transferred to CRPF Academy, Kadarpur (Gurugram).
Inspector General of CRPF Academy, Kadarpur MPS Negi has been transferred to Internal Security Academy, Mount Abu.
The CRPF also posted S Raveendran to West Bengal Sector after his induction into the paramilitary recently.
Meanwhile, the CRPF also effected transfer/posting of four Additional Director Generals including ADG of the paramilitary’s headquarters here Rajesh Pratap Singh as ADG, CRPF Academy, Kadarpur.
The three other additional DGs include Special DG, Central Zone, Sudeep Lakhtakia as ADG, Headquarters, CRPF, Inspector General Md Jawed Akhtar (West Bengal Sector) as in-charge Special DG of Northeast Zone and Kuldeep Singh as Special DG, Central Zone upon his induction into the CRPF.
The major reshuffle, including the transfer of the CoBRA chief, comes after an Express report on Monday on the desertion of 59 commandos en route to Gaya from Jammu on February by Jammu-Sealdah train. The 59 CoBRA commandos had deserted from the train at Mughalsarai railway station the next day without taking permission from the competent authority.