'CRPF neutralised over 200 terrorists in J&K last year'

Speaking about the achievements of the force in last year, DG AP Maheshwari said that as many as 215 terrorists including top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo in Jammu and Kashmir were neutralized by the Central Reserve Police Force in the year 2020

New Delhi: As many as 215 terrorists including top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo in Jammu and Kashmir were neutralized by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the year 2020, said DG AP Maheshwari on Thursday.

Speaking about the achievements of the force in last year, AP Maheshwari said, "In 2020, CRPF neutralized 32 Maoist in Naxal-effected areas while 569 were apprehended and 340 surrendered in front of our force. CoBRA killed 7 Maoist and recovered more than 300 IEDs in LWE areas."

The CRPF DG said that the force is considering induction of women personnel in its specialised jungle warfare commando force CoBRA.

The Commando Battalion for Rescue Action (CoBRA) teams are mainly deployed in Naxal-hit areas and some are based in the northeastern states under counter-insurgency operations.

Read:Terrorist, associate arrested in J&K

"Our VIP security wing has constantly grown. As of now, we have 62 protectees all over India and we have a VIP security training center in Greater Noida. We have improved upon our security drills and inducting best of our SPGs in the force," he added.

Addressing the annual press conference, the force DG informed that CRPF has a dog breeding and training center in Bengaluru to strengthen their K9 team.

He further said three local breeds of dogs will be inducted into the force in order to further strengthen the canine squads as they have been found useful and are been trained well.