NEW DELHI: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has issued a revised SOP for all personnel deployed in violence-hit Manipur, directing them to travel only in bulletproof vehicles and avoid unnecessary movement following recent attacks on Assam Rifles personnel in the state and neighbouring Nagaland.
The revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) applies to nearly 20,000 CRPF personnel deployed across about 200 companies, as well as around 2,000 commandos from the two recently inducted units of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA).
Officials said the new measures were aimed at enhancing troop safety during both operational and administrative movements across the state.
The move follows a series of attacks on security forces.
Two Assam Rifles personnel were killed in an ambush in Manipur's Ukhrul district on July 6, while another jawan was killed and four others injured in a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Nagaland's Chumoukedima district on July 13.
A day later, an Assam Rifles camp in Manipur's Senapati town was attacked by a mob following an anti-insurgency operation in the Oklong area, with vehicles torched and property vandalised.
"Our personnel have been instructed to use only bulletproof vehicles and avoid stray movements during operational and administrative duties in Manipur," a senior official familiar with the development said.
"To strengthen force protection, nearly 100 indigenous Marksman light bulletproof vehicles have been inducted in Manipur over the past few months. The capsule-based armoured vehicles are designed for patrols, convoy protection and urban combat, offering Level B6 ballistic protection against assault rifle fire, grenade attacks and mine blasts," he said.
Alongside the revised SOP, the CRPF has tasked its two newly deployed CoBRA battalions with launching operations against armed groups in the state as part of the Centre's broader strategy to restore peace and strengthen security.
The specialised jungle warfare units — 207 Battalion, previously based in West Bengal, and 210 Battalion from Assam — were deployed to Manipur by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) after the Centre declared earlier this year that Left Wing Extremism had been largely eliminated across the country.
Comprising around 2,000 commandos, the CoBRA units will operate from designated hubs and undertake operations based on requisitions from the Manipur Police.
Their priorities include recovering illegal arms and ammunition, dismantling fortified bunkers used by armed groups, identifying vulnerable ambush points and carrying out area domination exercises.
The commandos completed three weeks of pre-induction operational training, followed by a week-long familiarisation programme before commencing operations, officials said.
They added that CoBRA personnel would also follow the revised SOP, including mandatory movement in bulletproof vehicles and minimising unnecessary exposure during operations.
Besides counter-insurgency duties, they will assist the state administration and other Central Armed Police Forces in stabilisation efforts.
Manipur currently has the country's largest deployment of CRPF personnel, including around 200 CRPF companies, nearly 100 Border Security Force companies, five Indo-Tibetan Border Police companies and six Sashastra Seema Bal companies.
