Day after: CIF camp may be shifted

2 March 2012

biswabrata goswami
MIDNAPORE, 2 MARCH: A day after their barracks were set on fire allegedly by Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) jawans, Counter Insurgency Force (CIF) personnel stationed at Salua in Kharagpur were today shifted to Midnapore police lines.
The CIF personnel have been sent on 15 days' leave and the top brass of all the three security agencies ~ CIF, EFR and state police ~ suggested the state home department for permanent winding up of the barracks, a senior police officer said.
The CIF authorities have also agreed to set up their base camp at Baghmundi in Purulia as the EFR jawans are quite adamant on their demand over the withdrawal of CIF camp from the premises of their headquarters, said the police officer.
The headquarters of all three battalions of EFR, which was raised in 1907, are stationed at Salua. Hundreds of serving and retired personnel live here with their families, turning it into an EFR zone. After the formation of CIF on the lines of Greyhounds of Andhra Pradesh, CIF barracks were set up at Salua and a total of 15 platoons of CIF were stationed there.
A senior police officer said Salua was chosen for its proximity to the "operational base" for carrying out anti-Maoist operation in Junglemahal. In May 2011, the state government also overturned an earlier proposal earmarking 580 acres of land in Purulia as the proposed CIF headquarters and home to all its 60 assault teams. Purulia was selected since it was close to the other operational bases in Purulia and Bankura.
“But, within days after the setting up of barracks at Salua, EFR jawans started agitation against the presence of new force in their base areas. Trouble erupted a few days ago when some CIF jawans alleged misbehaved with the family members of the EFR jawans. The situation worsened when a CIF jawan was charged for molesting an EFR jawan’s daughter when she was returning after tuition on 29 February," a police officer said.
Yesterday, the EFR headquarters turned into a battlefield when the district police resorted to a lathi-charge on EFR jawans’ family members who had blocked Kharagpur-Keshiary Road demanding withdrawal of a CIF camp from Salua. The EFR jawans, who were on duty inside the barrack, retaliated with arms and set the CIF camp on fire. At least 20 persons, including 12 police officers, were injured in the violence. The enraged EFR jawans ransacked eight vehicles of the district police and CIF officials before setting them on fire. Meanwhile, the CIF authorities lodged an FIR with the district police against unidentified criminals who had unleashed violence against the CIF jawans and set their barracks on fire.

Chief secy hints at relocating CIF
State chief secretary Samar Ghosh today indicated that the state government might decide to shift the counter insurgency force from close proximity of EFR barracks at Salua. They may be shifted to other areas in Junglemahal, which is close to their operational area. He said: “We will have to take a decision within a day or two.” The situation was under control and senior police officers have been sent there, said Mr Ghosh, adding the EFR families residing on the land did not have any sanction of the government.