Govt clips CRPF's wings to calm Kashmir anger

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government is cracking the whip to calm outrage in the state over the alleged rape and murder of two women 11 days ago.

A meeting between Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Srinagar on Thursday decided to put the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) under a secondary role. The paramilitary group will now assist the state police.

CRPF personnel are suspected to be involved in the deaths of two women, who were found drowned near a stream in Shopian town on May 30.

Since then the state has witnessed protests and it is alleged that the women were raped and murdered by security forces.

The state government first claimed the women had drowned but on Wednesday the state police registered murder cases after the doctors who examined the bodies of two women. A forensic report earlier this week had confirmed that the women were raped.

Chidambaram called the decision to curtail CRPF’s duties “baby steps” toward giving the state police more responsibility. "We would like to take small, baby steps one by one and no great leap in Kashmir," he said.

The state police should play a primary role in the state and paramilitary forces a secondary role, he said. Chidambaram's statements were in line with the promise made by Chief Minister Abdullah that the paramilitary forces should have a lesser role in the state.

Government officials said they wanted paramilitary forces like the CRPF for Naxal-affected areas in the country.

The CRPF has been in the state since 1990 and it was time that a proper study was conducted to evaluate their role.

The CRPF is part of the Unified Headquarters, which is headed by the Chief Minister and comprises senior officials of the police, Indian Army, central paramilitary forces, state government and intelligence agencies.

Addressing the meeting, Omar Abdullah said he was grateful to central paramilitary forces and police for countering insurgency but cautioned that utmost care should be taken in ensuring there were no human rights violation in the process.

Omar said one mistake by Police or paramilitary forces could be exploited by international elements.

During the meeting a need was also felt for engaging "certain elements" for talks in the state.