No reduction in paramilitary troops in J&K: CRPF

There will be no reduction in the number of paramilitary troops in J&K in view of the forthcoming Panchayat elections in the state and to prevent a situation like last year's summer unrest in the Kashmir Valley, CRPF said today.

"There can be no reduction in the number of CRPF troops as Panchayat elections are going to be held soon," inspector general of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Ravi Prakash Mehrada said.

Meharda said the number of paramilitary personnel can also not be reduced to prevent the repetition of last year's summer turmoil in the Valley.

"We are watching the situation closely and we cannot let the past incidents be repeated," he said.

The IG said every jawan of the force was being sensitised and reoriented in crowd control to avoid collateral damage during protests.

CRPF had organised a function in Srinagar to observe Valour Day to honour the personnel of the force who had repulsed the Pakistan Army in the Rann of Kuch in the 1965 war.