Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Uncertainty over CRPF deployment in Palnadu area

A. Saye Sekharr

GUNTUR DEC. 23. Deployment of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the naxalite-affected areas of Guntur district seems to be running into rough weather.

The viewpoint being projected by the political leadership in the district is that the CRPF men would unleash a reign of terror in Palnadu villages and behave ruthlessly even with innocent civilians. Presently, politicians, particularly those in the ruling party, are keeping their fingers crossed over the burgeoning naxalite movement in the hitherto peaceful area.

They are under the impression that the sympathisers and militants are already opposed to the political leaders in Palnadu. The deployment of the CRPF will amount to antagonising even civilians who have been pally with the politicians so far. Besides, some politicians feel that this would not be a good augury for the ruling party as elections are less than a couple of years away.

Meanwhile, a huge contingent of 500-odd CRPF men was brought to Guntur district three days ago. Though they have not been deployed anywhere so far, they have been sent for "acclimatisation'' exercise in the affected areas. They would also be conducting recce. Of course, they have been asked to do this in batches without much ado. The CRPF, that is sent to Guntur, has been drawn from Khammam district. The CRPF men set up a camp and staying near Guntur railway station.

What with the growing opposition from politicians, the Police Department seems to be "reconsidering'' its options whether or not to deploy the CRPF in the affected areas. As an alternative, the department is reportedly considering to deploy the Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP). In fact, the services of some APSP troops are already being utilised in the district. In the event of the political leadership firmly voicing its opposition to pressing the CRPF into service in Palnadu, there is every possibility of the forces being sent back to the places from where they have been drawn. It may take at least three to four days for the final decision to come, say sources.

The sources have indicated that the top brass of the Police Department may spare no efforts in convincing the political leadership to allow the CRPF to be deployed in the Palnadu area.

Meanwhile, police strategists in the State Capital are reportedly contemplating sending another contingent of CRPF men (about 500 to 600) with a view to making it one complete battalion. The police authorities want to adopt "area domination'' as a strategy by spreading CRPF men in every affected village in large numbers, what with the WHAM (winning hearts and minds) strategy failing to cut much ice.

The advantage with the deployment of CRPF, as the sources say, is that they would not have anything to do with local politics and that they would not have to obliged to anybody except to execute the tasks entrusted to them. Of course, there is no denying the fact that the civilian life would be disturbed.

But, the "area domination'' by CRPF men would surely break the militant network and weaken the naxalite movement to a large measure. This is part of the "offensive'' being launched by the police. The confidence levels on the efficacy of the local police, particularly at the field level, in handling daunting task of anti-naxalite operations have surely dwindled in the minds of the "police ideologues'' in Hyderabad. One idea being considered is that CRPF and Greyhounds special parties would be sent into villages with the assistance of "local guides'' and ask the APSP to take up the task of protecting police stations.

With the "powers-that-be'' in the political administration on one side and the police strategists on the other, it is yet to be known whether the CRPF men would really go into Palnadu villages.

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