New Delhi, May 25: To improve the control and command structure of the CRPF in Maoist- hit states, the Centre will implement the J& K model in four states posting a senior officer to oversee the operations in each of these states.
A source said following recommendations of the Rammohan Committee report that probed the Dantewada massacre, a new post of CRPF inspector general ( operations) will be created in Chhattisgarh, Orissa, West Bengal and Jharkhand.
Jammu & Kashmir is currently the only state where a dedicated CRPF officer is posted in Srinagar to oversee the operations against the militants.
Three senior IPS officers have been short- listed for the new positions.
Kashmir Singh, a joint secretary in the home ministry is tipped to take charge in Chhattisgarh, while Nageshwara Rao, who is CRPF I- G ( eastern sector) could be posted in Orissa. IPS officer Pankaj Kumar Singh could join as I- G ( operations) in West Bengal.
A source said the lack of command and control was highlighted by the Rammohan Committee report. It pointed out that a single officer positioned in Raipur as IG ( special sector) was in charge of anti- Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
The officer in question is Ramesh Chandra, who retired on April 30 but is facing a court of inquiry for command failure in the Dantewada operation. IPS officer R. K. Dua has since taken over from him but the new IG ( ops) will have a dedicated mandate.
“ With anti- Maoist operations expected to be stepped up in all four worst- hit states, a dedicated post of I- G ( ops) in these states will help the CRPF launch better coordinated and well- focused operations along with the state police,” a senior home ministry official said.
—Agencies