Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, December 24

The Union Home Ministry has ordered 7,000 paramilitary troopers to withdraw from Jammu and Kashmir immediately.

The notification issued on Tuesday says that 72 companies of paramilitary forces—24 of the Central Reserve Police Forces and 12 each of the Border Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Force, Central Industrial Security Force, and Sashastra Seema Bal—should be sent back to their own locations immediately.

One such company has about 100 personnel.

“It is to intimate that the matter has further been reviewed in this Ministry. It has been decided to withdraw 72 Coys of CAPFs (CRPF-24, BSF- 12, ITBP-12, CISF-12 & SSB-12) with immediate effect from J&K and revert back to their respective locations,” the notification says.

The development comes five months after the central government increased security in the then state just before it decided to read down Article 370 of the Indian Constitution—a provision that gave the state special status—and reconstituted the state into two union territories, J&K and Ladakh. About 20 such companies were withdrawn from the valley early this month.