CRPF Gears Up: Fresh Battalions Deployed in Manipur Amid Ongoing Ethnic Strife

The Centre has directed the deployment of two fresh CRPF battalions, consisting of about 2,000 personnel, to Manipur amid ongoing ethnic strife. The personnel will replace withdrawn Assam Rifles units and set up new operational bases across the state. More than 200 lives have been lost since the conflict began.

The Centre has ordered the deployment of two new CRPF battalions, comprising roughly 2,000 personnel, to bolster security in Manipur, which has been gripped by ethnic strife, official sources revealed on Tuesday.

Battalion number 58 is being relocated from Warangal in Telangana, while battalion number 112 is being transferred from Latehar in Jharkhand. The first unit will establish its headquarters in Kangvai (Churachandpur), and the second will be stationed around Imphal, sources told PTI.

This redeployment follows the removal of two Assam Rifles battalions from Manipur to address operational needs in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the Northeast. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the new CRPF units will be deployed across various regions in the strife-affected state, which has witnessed over 200 fatalities since May of last year.

Each CRPF battalion has an operational strength of about 1,000 personnel. The force is active in three main areas: combating insurgency in the Northeast, anti-Naxal operations, and counter-terrorism measures in Jammu and Kashmir.

In addition to these new deployments, 16 existing CRPF battalions that were already stationed in Manipur have established operational bases in multiple locations, including Imphal West, Imphal East, Churachandpur, Noney, Jiribam, Kangpokpi, and Bishnupur.

Before the outbreak of last year's violence, Manipur housed approximately 10-11 CRPF battalions. A top security officer stated, "The CRPF will take a lead role in Manipur. Fresh units have been rushed since the violence erupted between the Meitei and Kuki communities in May last year, and strengthening these forces will improve decision-making."

The new units being deployed consist of personnel trained in various internal security duties. They will receive the necessary logistical, housing, equipment, and anti-drone technology support, the officer added.

Meanwhile, a joint team of CRPF and Border Security Force (BSF) officers, along with independent technical experts, is expected to arrive in Manipur later this week. This team will conduct an "analytical study" of drones and improvised rockets that have recently been used in attacks across the state.

The CRPF has experience dealing with improvised Maoist-fired rockets, commonly known as barrel grenade launchers, in Left-wing extremism-affected areas, and they will apply this expertise to studying the rockets in Manipur. The BSF will leverage its forensic lab capabilities, typically used for analyzing drones from the Pakistan border, in collaboration with independent experts, sources said.

Two drone guns, capable of jamming and causing drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to crash or retreat, have already been provided to CRPF personnel in Manipur. Additional technical gadgets are expected to follow, sources confirmed.

The ongoing ethnic strife between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and hill-based Kukis has resulted in over 200 deaths and thousands rendered homeless since May of last year. The recent surge in violence has claimed at least eight more lives and left over a dozen injured, amid drone and missile attacks.

(With inputs from agencies.)