CRPF's two CoBRA Battalions to begin operations against armed miscreants in Manipur
By Rajnish Singh, New Delhi, July 16
Two battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force's elite Commando Battalion for Resolute Action unit will begin operations against armed miscreants in Manipur as part of the Centre's efforts to strengthen security and restore lasting peace in the violence-hit state.
After the declaration of Naxal-free India at the end of March this year, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had moved the two CoBRA battalions--207 Battalion based in West Bengal and 210 Battalion based in Assam--to undertake specific operations against armed groups involved in violence in the state.
Comprising around 2,000 commandos, the specialised jungle warfare units will operate from designated hubs and respond to incidents or undertake operations on the requisition of the Manipur Police, officials close to security establishments told ANI.
They said, "Seizure of illegal arms and ammunition, demolition of bunkers used by armed groups, identification of ambush points and area domination will be among the key priorities of the operations of the CoBRA units."
The commandos have completed three weeks of pre-induction operational training followed by a week-long familiarisation programme before being sent for operational duties in Manipur.
Besides conducting counter-insurgency operations, the CoBRA battalions will also assist the state administration and other central armed police forces in restoring normalcy.
The CoBRA units will move in bulletproof vehicles and follow revised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), with particular emphasis on avoiding unnecessary exposure and stray movement during operations.
The SOPs are changed amid heightened security concerns following a violent mob attack on an Assam Rifles camp in Senapati town on the night of July 14. The mob torched vehicles and vandalised property after an anti-insurgency operation near the Oklong area against suspected armed cadres. Security forces used tear gas and fired blank rounds to disperse the crowd, and no casualties were reported. The incident followed a deadly ambush on July 6 in Manipur's Ukhrul district, where unidentified gunmen attacked an Assam Rifles patrol, killing two personnel and injuring several others.
Officials said the Centre decided to deploy the specialised CoBRA units in the Northeast after Left Wing Extremism (LWE) or Naxal was significantly curbed across central and eastern India.
Trained in jungle warfare and guerrilla tactics, the CoBRA commandos are expected to play a crucial role in operations in Manipur's rugged and forested terrain.
The CoBRA force was raised by the CRPF in 2008-09 to combat Left Wing Extremism and insurgency. The specialised force has earned recognition for its intelligence-based jungle warfare operations that contributed significantly to weakening Maoist violence in the country.
The deployment of CoBRA in Manipur is part of ongoing efforts by the Central government and the Manipur administration to restore lasting peace in the state, where ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 2023 has claimed more than 260 lives and displaced thousands of people. The recent incidents of violence between the Kuki and the Naga communities have escalated the tensions.
Apart from the two CoBRA battalions, around 200 CRPF companies, nearly 100 Border Security Force (BSF) companies, five Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) companies and six Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) companies are currently deployed across Manipur.
— ANI
Reader Comments
It's a good move, but I worry about the ethnic tensions. CoBRA is great against insurgents, but this goes deeper than just armed groups. The root cause of the Meitei-Kuki violence needs addressing.
Finally some decisive action! The Assam Rifles ambush was a wake-up call. We need these well-trained jungle warriors to dominate the terrain and wipe out illegal bunkers. Manipur deserves peace after so much bloodshed. 🚁
The CoBRA track record is impressive against Naxals, but Manipur's terrain is different—and so are the groups involved. Hope the revised SOPs account for civilian safety. The Senapati mob attack shows how fragile things are.
That's 2,000 commandos trained in guerrilla tactics—exactly what's needed in Manipur's forests. But we must remember: military solutions alone won't heal the ethnic rift. Please also invest in dialogue and rehabilitation. 🇮🇳
Over 260 dead and thousands displaced—that's a humanitarian crisis. Deploying CoBRA is necessary, but I hope the MHA also fast-tracks compensation and relief for victims. Peace can't come through bulletproof vehicles alone.
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