The Central Government has taken a big decision amidst the ongoing violence and security challenges in Manipur. The Home Ministry has approved the deployment of two units of CRPF’s special Cobra battalion in the state. For the first time since the violence started in May 2023, Cobra battalion is being sent to Manipur. According to sources, one battalion will be sent to Assam and the other from West Bengal to Manipur. After considering the proposal of CRPF, the Home Ministry has approved this deployment.
The special training of Cobra battalion will prove to be very helpful in conducting security operations in the remote and dense forest areas of Manipur. Cobra i.e. Commando Battalion for Resolute Action was formed in the year 2008. This is a special commando unit of CRPF, which is trained for jungle warfare, guerrilla operations, intelligence-based operations and operations in difficult areas.
Which battalions will go?
According to officials, the Union Home Ministry has approved the proposal of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). According to this proposal, CoBRA’s 207th (from West Bengal) and 210th (from Assam) will be deployed for operations in the state. According to officials, these units are expected to reach Manipur in the coming weeks. Here they will conduct target operations against armed groups involved in violence.
Cobra, formed by the CRPF, was entrusted with the task of dealing with Left Wing Extremism in many states and the ongoing insurgency in some parts of the North-East. There are currently 10 battalions in this force, which are mainly deployed in anti-Naxal operations. Each battalion consists of approximately 1,000 soldiers.
In which states has it been deployed before?
Till now the Cobra battalion has been deployed mainly in Naxal affected states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra and Bihar. Its deployment in Manipur is being considered an important step towards strengthening the security system.
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