Majid Jahangir
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, May 9
The Inspector-General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, has stoked a major controversy after he allegedly said that the performance of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was not up to the mark.
‘Unpleasant comments’
A Commandant of the CRPF, in an internal note to his officer, has stated that the IG, Kashmir, made “unpleasant remarks” about the CRPF.
Days after a checkpoint of the CRPF was attacked by militants in Sopore sub-district of north Kashmir which left three of its men dead, J&K Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh, chaired a security review meeting which was attended by IG Kashmir, all SSPs and commandants of the CRPF of north Kashmir.
A Commandant of the CRPF, who attended the meeting, in an internal note to his officer, has stated that the IG, Kashmir, made “unpleasant remarks” about the CRPF.
“The performance of the CRPF is not up to the mark. Here, all intelligence is generated by the J&K Police and operations are conducted by the Army and Rashtriya Rifles. The name of the CRPF is included just like that. This I know. I have been in the CRPF,” read the internal note from the Commandant of the 53 battalion based in Baramulla, while quoting the IGP Kashmir.
The CRPF Commandant said he did not react during the meeting.
“To avoid public embarrassment, the CRPF officer(s) did not react on the spot. However, after the meeting, we met him personally and raised objections against the unpleasant remarks about the force,” the note added.
When contacted, IGP Vijay Kumar said he had nothing to say about it.
“Ask CRPF about it,” Kumar said.
The J&K DGP Singh did not respond to calls.
There are around 50 battalions of the CRPF deployed in Kashmir and these are involved in both anti-militancy operations and law and order duties.
A top officer of the CRPF said IG Kashmir should have not said like this.
“The officer (IG Kashmir) has no business to say this about the CRPF which has lost so many lives and has been performing its duties sincerely,” he said.