The Central Reserve Police Force (Devanāgarī: केंद्रीय रिज़र्व पुलिस बल) also known as CRPF is the largest of India's Central Armed Police Forces. It functions under the aegis of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of the Government of India. The CRPF's primary role lies in assisting the State/Union Territories in police operations to maintain law and order and contain insurgency. It came into existence as the Crown Representative's Police on 27 July 1939. After Indian Independence, it became the Central Reserve Police Force on enactment of the CRPF Act on 28 December 1949.

Besides Law and Order and counter-insurgency duties, the role of CRPF in the General Elections, held repeatedly during the past few years, has been very significant and vital. This is especially true for the trouble-ridden states of J&K, Bihar and in the North East. During the Parliamentary elections of September 1999, the CRPF played a major role in the security arrangements. Of late, CRPF contingents are also being deployed in UN missions.

With 220 battalions^[1] and various other establishments, the CRPF is considered the largest paramilitary force in the world.^[2] Nonetheless, the CRPF does not fall under the Indian government's new definition of "Paramilitary Forces".

History[link]

• The CRPF was derived from the CRP (Crown Representative's Police) on 27 July 1939 with 2 Battalions in Nimach, Madhya Pradesh. Its primary duty at the time was to protect the British residents in sensitive states of India.
• In 1949, the CRP was renamed under the CRPF Act. During the 1960s, many state reserve police battalions were merged with the CRPF. The CRPF has been active against foreign invasion and domestic insurgency.
• On 21 October 1959, Dy.S.P. Karam Singh and 20 soldiers were attacked by the Chinese army at Hot Springs in Ladakh resulting in 10 casualties. The survivors were imprisoned. Since then, 21 October is observed as Police Commemoration day.
• During the 1965 India-Pakistan War, two companies consisting of 150 men of the 2nd Battalion of the CRPF defeated an infantry brigade consisting of 1600 men of the Pakistan Army at Kanjar Kot in Gujarat^{[citation needed]}.
• The CRPF guarded the India-Pakistan Border until 1965, at which point the Border Security Force was created for that purpose.
• On 2001 Indian Parliament attack the CRPF troopers killed all five terrorists who had entered the premises of the Indian Parliament in New Delhi.
• In recent years, the Government of India has decided to follow up on recommendations of the Indian cabinet to use each security agency for its mandated purpose. As a result, the counter-insurgency operations in India have been entrusted to the CRPF.
• In 2008 a wing called COmbat Battalions for Resolute Action (CoBRA) was added to the CRPF to counter the Naxalite movement.
• On September 2, 2009, 5000 CRPF soldiers were deployed for a Search and Rescue mission to find the then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy whose helicopter went missing over the Nallamalla Forest Range in Andhra Pradesh. This was the largest search operation ever mounted in India.
• On May 30, 2012, 7 CRPF jawans were injured when motor-cycle borne militants opened indiscriminate firing on them in Khanyar,Srinagar.^[3]

Current role and strength[link]

As of 2010, the CRPF is the largest paramilitary organisation of the country and is actively looking after the internal security of every part of India and are even operating abroad as part of United Nations peacekeeping missions. It is performing a variety of duties ranging from VIP security to election duties, from guarding of vital installations to the counter-naxal operations.

Organization[link]

The CRPF is headed by a Director general who is an Indian Police Service officer and is divided into ten administrative sectors, each headed by an Inspector General. Each Sector consists of one or more administrative and/or Operational Ranges, headed by an officer of the rank of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police. Now, Group Centres are also headed by DIGs.

There are 210 CRPF battalions of approximately 1200 constables each. Each battalion is commanded by an officer designated as Commandant, and consists of seven CRPF companies, each containing 135 Men . Each company is headed by an Assistant Commandant.

The Home Ministry is planning to increase the strength of the force by adding 35 more battalions(30,000 personnel approx.) in the coming years.

Ranks and insignia[link]

Rank structure[link]

♯ With 3 years seniority

^{[5][6][7][8][9][10]}

Being a central Indian police organization and having high presence of Indian Police Service officers, CRPF follows ranks and insgnia similar to other police organizations in India.

The Rapid Action Force[link]

The Rapid Action Force (RAF) is a specialised 10 battalion wing of the Indian Central Reserve Police Force. It was formed in October 1992, to deal with communal riots and related civil unrest. The battalions are numbered from 99 to 108.

Weapons[link]

CRPF uses basic Infantry weapons such as:

1. FN 35 and Glock 17 9 mm pistols
2. Heckler & Koch MP5 replacing the Carbine 1A 9 mm sub-machine guns
3. INSAS 5.56 mm assault rifles
4. INSAS 5.56 mm light machine guns replacing the Bren L4 machine guns
5. AGS-17 Plamya 30 mm automatic grenade launcher
6. AK 47 and AKM
7. Tavor TAR-21
8. X-95 5.56 MM Assault Rifle. Indian copy of the Tavor TAR-21 procured from Israel.

In addition to these, CRPF also uses land mine detectors.

Women in the CRPF[link]

The CRPF has three battalions staffed entirely by women. The first battalion No 88 was raised in 1986 with its headquarters at New Delhi. The second battalion 135 came into existence in 1996 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. THE 3RD BN NO. IS 213 located at ajmer (Rajasthan)

The Green Force[link]

Another specialised outfit of the CRPF is the Green Force. The force has been able to effectively check environmental degradation and sustain the regeneration of local flora and fauna. Every year Green Force personnel plant hundreds of thousands of trees in various parts of the country.

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Central Reserve Police Force

• global security article
• Official Website Upgraded

References[link]

v t e Law enforcement in India Cross civil service: Indian Police Service Federal police Border Security Force (BSF) Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CBRA) Home Guard Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) National Security Guard (NSG) Railway Protection Force (RPF) Rapid Action Force (RAF) Special Protection Group (SPG) Federal Intelligence Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) Intelligence Bureau (IB) Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) National Investigation Agency (NIA) State Andhra Pradesh Police Arunachal Pradesh Police Assam Police Bihar Police Chandigarh Police Chhattisgarh Police Dadra and Nagar Haveli Police Daman and Diu Police Goa Police Gujarat Police Haryana Police Himachal Pradesh Police Jammu and Kashmir Police Jharkhand Police Karnataka Police Kerala Police Lakshadweep Police Madhya Pradesh Police Maharashtra Police Manipur Police Meghalaya Police Mizoram Police Nagaland Police Orissa Police Puducherry Police Punjab Police Rajasthan Police Sikkim Police Tamil Nadu Police Tripura Police Uttar Pradesh Police Uttarakhand Police West Bengal Police State Metropolitan Bangalore City Police Bhubaneswar–Cuttack Police Commissionerate Delhi Police Greater Chennai Police Hyderabad City Police Kolkata Police Kochi City Police Mumbai Police Nagpur Police Pune Police Thrissur City Police Thiruvananthapuram City Police

K Vijay Kumar (born 15 September 1950) is the son of Mr. Krishnan Nair(a retired police officer) and Mrs. Kousalya. He is the second son in a family of six. He graduated from St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli and then went on to complete his post-graduation from Madras Christian College .

He is an officer in the Indian Police Service and was the Chief of the Special Task Force that was behind the encounter of notorious bandit Veerappan^[1]. In 2008, he was chosen to head the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.^[2][3]

On 1 October 2010, Kumar was appointed Director General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).^[4]

Professional career[link]

Kumar joined the IPS in 1975 ^[5].} He served as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Pattukkottai, Trichy and Sembiam (Chennai).^{[citation needed]} He then became Superintendent of Police, in which role he served Dharmapuri, Salem (1977–1985).^{[citation needed]} During this period he worked mainly with Walter Devaram,^{[citation needed]} whose courage had impressed him as a young officer^{[citation needed]}

His other posts include:

1. Elite member (SP)^{[clarification needed]} of the Special Protection Group (SPG) of the former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi.
2. IGP, Operations, Border Security Force (Central Deputation).
3. ADGP/Commissioner of Police, Chennai city.
4. ADGP/Chief, Special Task Force
5. ADGP, Law and Order, Tamil Nadu.
6. Director, National Police Academy, Hyderabad.
7. Director General, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)

First Tenure in Special Task Force (STF):

Vijay Kumar always had the thirst to nab the notorious forest brigand Veerappan. This guy had been a real challenge for the police force of Tamil Nadu and Karantaka. Devaram, the retired Director General of Police of Tamil Nadu was instrumental in curbing naxal activities in Tamil Nadu in the late 1970s and in the early 1980s. Devaram was in-charge of the Special Task Force (STF) to nab Veerappan. Devaram is still a role model for many officers who serve the department currently.

Veerappan was a real challenge for Devaram as well. Devaram once quoted Veerappan as a “Worthy Foe”. Vijay Kumar loves to take challenge with such worthy foes. During 1993-1996, Vijay Kumar was joined the Special Task Force (STF) to nab the notorious criminal. But Vijay Kumar was in the Special Task Force (STF) for just a month. Vijay Kumar was DIG in-charge of Chief Minister security. So, Vijay Kumar did not have much time with Special Task Force. Vijay Kumar was during this period learned lot from role model Devaram.

Central Deputation:

Kumar always loved to be a field officer. He was deputed to the Border Security Force and he served as the Inspector General of the Border Security Force Kashmir frontier for over two years. Kumar headed the Border Security Force (BSF) in Kashmir and was himself associated with a number of operations.

Kumar also served as the IGP (Operations) at the Border Security Force BSF headquarters in New Delhi from August 2000 to May 2001. On December 9, 2000, Vijay Kumar came to Tamil Nadu and handed over 1000 Border Security Force (BSF) men to the Special Task Force(STF) to assist in nabbing Veerappan.

Second tenure in Special Task Force(STF):

Vijay Kumar returned to Tamil Nadu Police in May 2001 completing his central deputation. He was brought back to Tamil Nadu to lead Special Task Force(STF)again.

City Police Commissioner, Chennai:

Commissioner of Chennai city was always a prestigious post and this opportunity knocked the doors of Vijay Kumar in late 2001. Vijay Kumar was posted as the Commissioner of Police, Chennai city. He took charge on 9 December 2001 and served the as the Commissioner till 19 November 2003.

As the chief of the city police (for 23 months), he had been instrumental in bringing down organized crime in the city. Most of the rowdies in Chennai were encountered during this period and Chennai was turning crime-free. About 1000 people were detained in Goondas act in the first year of his tenure as the Commissioner of Police of Chennai. More followed in 2003 and even those who came out of jail after their one-year term behind bars, chose to keep quiet out of fear for the dare-devil Commissioner of Police. City Police carried out seven encounters during his tenure.

Though there was large-scale criticism from human rights activists, all those killed were hard-core criminals involved in a series of cases. Some popular encounters include that of “Ayodhyakuppam Veeramani,^[6] Tamil extremists Rajaram and Saravanan, Venkatesa Pannaiyar. It was this period that the Law and Order was maintained perfectly in the state capital.

City Police Image:

When Vijay Kumar was asked by the press reporters on his priority when he took charge as the COP of Chennai, he told that he would focus on improving the image of the city Police. In his 23 months stint, Vijay Kumar has been able to restore police credibility to a large extent. His reputation as a non-controversial officer with suave manners, and straight talk, has stood him in good stead in his present office, say observers.

Operation Cocooon:

Vijay Kumar was deputed back to STF for the third time in 2003.He was posted as the Chief of the STF.The operation named “Operation Cocooon” was planned by DGP Vijay Kumar and the SP, STF N.K. Senthamarai Kannan.A plan that was planned for 10 months was implemented on October 18, 2004. Luck was in favor of STF this time.

Veerappan and three of his associates were killed in an encounter that lasted for 20 minutes. Veerappan who had been a real challenge for Tamil Nadu police is no more now. The man whose head was charged for Rupees 5 crore and who had been successful against the Police for 20 years was killed in a 20 minute encounter.^{[citation needed]} The operation was led by DGP himself, assisted by the Superintendents of Police,Senthamarai Kannan (who masterminded the intelligence trap), K. Shanmugavelu and P. Chinnasamy. The core team consisted of the Deputy Superintendents of Police, N. Thirunavukkarasu, and Hussain. Inspectors N. Rajarajan and Mohan Nawaz led the ambush team.

Currently as the head of Anti Naxal Operation's he was instrumental in killing Kishenji in an encounter at West Bengal.

References[link]