NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to immediately withdraw its anti-riot control Rapid Action Force (RAF) from irregular deployment in the states.
The move comes after an increasing tendency by the state police forces not to relieve RAF even after the situation returns to normalcy. According to the RAF’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), its units are supposed to be relieved as soon as normalcy returns.
However, they were being deployed on normal duties such as visit of dignitaries and elections which dilute the deterrent effect of the force, and there was a need to sensitise the states.
If the SOPs are violated, the RAF can withdraw its companies from deployment unless expressly asked by the MHA for simultaneous concurrence.
Last year, two companies of RAF’s 106 Battalion were deployed to maintain routine law and order at Rathyatra in Odisha’s Puri. In another instance, one company each of the Battalion was sent to Patna and Bhagalpur on law and order duty, and they remained for prolonged deployment in Bihar.
Following sudden communal tension, the companies had to be rushed to Mango in Jamshedpur within half an hour at 7.30 pm. They reached Jamshedpur at 7am after an overnight journey and had to be on duty for 36 hours before the situation could be controlled, according to documents with Express.
The CRPF had taken up the SOP violations with the home ministry in its series of letters over the last two years.
Meanwhile, the CRPF is considering a proposal to send RAF officials to foreign universities and training centres to undertake Public Order Management courses and learn the latest techniques of crowd control management followed worldwide.
As many as 10 battalions (10,000 personnel) of the CRPF are designated as RAF battalions and located tactically in major cities across the country keeping in mind proneness to communal riots. They can be deployed in zero response time to the crisis situation following the State Government’s request.