SRI NAGAR: Around 40 companies of paramilitary forces have been pulled out of Kashmir, so far, since the start of the phased de-induction of additional troops deployed in the Valley earlier this month.
The move followed improvement in the situation on the ground in the Valley.
A security official said 40 paramilitary companies have been withdrawn from the Valley, so far, in view of improvement in the security situation.
“From the security point of view, the situation in Kashmir is normal,” he said.
Over 70,000 additional paramilitary forces, including several companies of BSF, CRPF, SSB and ITBP were rushed to the Valley ahead of the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, to maintain law and order and foil protests against the withdrawal of the special status accorded to the erstwhile state.
IG CRPF Ravideep Singh Sahi said the withdrawal of additional forces from the Valley would take place in a phase-wise manner, depending on the situation on the ground. “If the situation continues to improve as it has been, the phase-wise de-induction of troops will continue,” he said.
Sahi, however, said no time frame has been set for removal of additional troops rushed to the Valley before August 5. “The de-induction depends totally on the ground situation in the Valley,” the IG CRPF said.
Another security official said all additional troops to assist forces already on the ground in maintaining law and order would not be withdrawn.
“The security officials are continuously reviewing the security situation in the Valley and have taken decisions accordingly. However, there is a possibility that some additional troops will stay in Kashmir for some more time,” he said, adidng that some additional paramilitary companies, who were deployed in Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama, won’t be removed.
Phase-wise pullback
IG CRPF Ravideep Singh Sahi said the withdrawal of additional forces from the Valley would take place in a phase-wise manner, depending on the situation on the ground. “If the situation continues to improve as it has been, the phase-wise de-induction of troops will continue