New Delhi: The Centre has ordered the deployment of three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) battalions in Jammu to strengthen the counter-terror security grid, official sources said on Thursday.
The battalions, each with about 800 personnel, will replace Rashtriya Rifles units in Udhampur and Kathua, allowing the Army to focus on securing the Line of Control (LoC) and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
This move is part of a new security strategy under which hinterland areas will be handed over to paramilitary forces under the Union Home Ministry, while the Army will be concentrated on border security.
Officials said the shift has been in the works for nearly two years following improved security conditions after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. The CRPF units selected for deployment comprise personnel with proven counter-terror and counter-insurgency experience and are being equipped with modern weapons, communication systems, and armoured vehicles.
The units will also use existing Army infrastructure in the region. More areas, including parts of Kashmir valley, are expected to be handed over to CRPF once the current phase is completed.
Security in Jammu and its forested areas has gained importance in recent years due to increasing terrorist movements and attacks. The region also accounts for 485 km of the 2,289 km-long India-Pakistan International Border, along with a small portion of the LoC.
