10,000 paramilitary troops to be immediately withdrawn from Jammu and Kashmir

The Centre on Wednesday ordered "immediate" withdrawal of about 10,000 paramilitary personnel from Jammu and Kashmir, a year after the Centre increased the presence of troops in the Union Territory ahead of abrogation of the Article 370. 

Reports said the decision was taken by the government after the Ministry of Home Affairs reviewed the deployment of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in Jammu and Kashmir. 

This is the biggest de-induction of forces after additional troops were rushed to the UT last year. Earlier, 10 CAPF companies were withdrawn in May while 72 such units were taken out in December last year.

A total of 100 CAPF companies have been ordered to be withdrawn "immediately" on Wednesday and they have been asked to revert to their base locations in the country, PTI reported, quoting a senior official. 

40 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and 20 each of the Central Industrial Security Force, the Border Security Force and the Sashastra Seema Bal, will be taken out from Jammu and Kashmir by this week, the report said. 

"The units that are being withdrawn are deployed both in Jammu and Srinagar. It was felt that the counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist grid is intact in the UT and these additional units that were sent in last year can be de-inducted giving them the much required rest, recuperation and training," a senior CAPF officer was quoted as saying by PTI.