The 44 Indian paramilitary police killed by a suicide attack in Kashmir on Thursday were part of a force that is little appreciated, poorly paid and under resourced when compared with the army, according to former senior officers.
NEW DELHI (Reuters) — The 44 Indian paramilitary police killed by a suicide attack in Kashmir on Thursday were part of a force that is little appreciated, poorly paid and under resourced when compared with the army, according to former senior officers.
The dead came from towns and villages across India, from Assam in the remote northeast to Tamil Nadu in the south.
But their job in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) took them to some of the most dangerous frontlines in India, including the fight against militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
“CRPF has been tasked to be first responder in insurgent situations. This is the primary task,” said Pranay Sahay, a former CRPF director general.
