Centre to deploy 100 companies of paramilitary forces in J&K

New Delhi, Feb 23 (IANS) In the wake of the Pulwama attack, the Centre has decided to deploy additional 100 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) on an urgent basis in Jammu and Kashmir, the MHA has said.

A Home Ministry letter on Friday asked the Inspector General (Operations) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to ensure immediate movement of the forces in coordination with all other forces.

The CAPF refers to the uniform nomenclature of seven security forces in India under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The Ministry said it was "urgently" deploying 45 companies of the CRPF, 35 companies of the Border Security Force (BSF), and 10 companies each of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

The move came the night after raids were carried out in south, central and north Kashmir areas in which dozens of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders, including its chief Abdul Hamid Fayaz, were detained.

Yasin Malik, chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) was also taken into custody and lodged in a police station on Friday.

Informed sources in the Home Ministry said that the factors responsible for the deployment of the additional companies in the valley was taken keeping an eye on the upcoming elections, to assist the state police force in their ongoing operations and following review of security.

The administration decided to deploy more troops in sensitive places.

It was also decided to replace the CRPF troopers in Srinagar with the BSF and the ITBP troopers, an official order said on Friday.

The move comes after the worst-ever terror atatck last week on a CRPF convoy by a Jaish-e-Mohammad militant killing 40 troopers on the spot.