The elite CoBRA unit of the Central Reserve Police Force has been deployed in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time, sources told News18 on Monday, indicating that security missions similar to anti-Naxal operations could be carried out in left-wing extremist areas in the valley.
Sources said the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) units, which were earlier deployed in Bihar and Jharkhand, were deployed in Kupwara in Kashmir after being brought for training in April. However, he was not given any assignment yet. “But now, they are ready for deployment,” a source said.
The Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) is a specialized guerrilla warfare commando unit of the CRPF, with extensive expertise in jungle fighting.
Most of the CoBRA teams, whose commandos are expected to have tough mental and physical attributes, are deployed in various Naxalite violence-affected states, while some are based in the northeastern states for counter-insurgency operations.
The CRPF with a strength of approximately 3.25 lakh personnel has been designated as the premier internal security combat unit with maximum deployment in the three major theaters of Jammu and Kashmir, Left Wing Extremism affected states and insurgency-affected areas in the North-East of India .
This development has come as the operation to flush out terrorists hiding in the Gadole forest area of Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir entered the sixth day on Monday.
Officials said security forces are using drones and helicopters to monitor the dense forest area containing several cave-like hideouts where terrorists are believed to be hiding after the killing of two Army officers and a Deputy Superintendent of Police in a shootout since Wednesday. Are. Said.
As a precautionary measure, security cover has been beefed up in the neighboring posh Kreri area on Sunday to ensure that terrorists do not enter civilian areas, he said.
Top officials of the security grid in Kashmir, including Director General of Police GP and General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army’s 15 Corps, are monitoring the operation.