CME
CRPF Completes 12 Months Without Operational Fatalities for First Time in 47 Years
Context: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) recorded 12 consecutive months without operational fatalities, a milestone achieved for the first time in 47 years. Its last operational fatality was reported on 30 October 2025.
About CRPF Completes 12 Months Without Operational Fatalities for First Time in 47 Years:
What is CRPF?
- The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is India’s largest Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), functioning under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
- Established as the Crown Representative’s Police in 1939, it was renamed the CRPF under the CRPF Act, 1949.
Aim: To maintain internal security, public order and national integrity by assisting states in counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, anti-Naxal operations and other internal security duties.
Key Achievements:
- 47-Year Operational Safety Milestone: Completed 12 consecutive months without operational fatalities, the first such period since January 1979, despite continued deployment in major security operations.
- Improved Operational Preparedness: Strengthened equipment, personnel training and mission planning, contributing to safer operations and improved management of security threats.
- Enhanced Emergency Medical Response: Prioritised rapid casualty evacuation and timely medical treatment, improving access to secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities for injured personnel.
- Sustained Internal Security Operations: Continued operational engagements across major internal security theatres, while reporting significant operational breakthroughs without personnel fatalities during the period.
Significance:
- Highlights the importance of modern equipment, operational planning and emergency medical support in reducing fatalities during high-risk security deployments.
- Despite improved operational safety, reported suicides among CRPF personnel underline the need for mental healthcare, stress management and institutional welfare measures.
Relevance for UPSC Examination:
| UPSC Paper | Relevant Syllabus |
| GS Paper II | Government Policies and Interventions, Welfare of Security Personnel, NHRC |
| GS Paper III | Internal Security, Left-Wing Extremism, Security Forces and Agencies, Counterinsurgency |
| GS Paper IV | Ethics in Public Service, Duty of Care, Institutional Accountability, Compassion and Personnel Welfare |
