Srinagar: The Government of India is discussing a proposal to withdraw the Indian Army completely, in a phased manner, from the Valley hinterland.
Reports said that before or shortly after the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian army may be withdrawn from rural and remote areas of Kashmir Valley.
There are currently scores of army camps in rural areas of Kashmir. Reports added that the proposal of withdrawing the army from the hinterland has been analyzed and it needs the government of India’s nod only.
If approved, the Army will have a presence only on the Line of Control (LoC).
Reports said that it is also proposed that the CRPF would fill in to meet the challenges of both law and order and counter-militant operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to officials, the Army maintains a strength of around 1.3 lakh personnel in the entire J&K of which around 80,000 are deployed on the border. About 40,000-45,000 personnel from the Rashtriya Rifles have the mantle of conducting counter-militancy operations in Kashmir’s hinterland.
The CRPF is said to have a strength of close to 60,000 personnel in J&K, of which more than 45,000 are deployed in Kashmir Valley. J&K Police is 83,000 strong. Apart from this, a few companies from other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) remain deployed in the Valley. The figures for CAPFs fluctuate depending on the security situation in the Valley.(Agencies)
