CRPF goes 12 months without Operational fatality for first time in 47 years; Manipur emerges as new challenge

New Delhi: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has completed 12 months without losing a single personnel in operational action for the first time in 47 years. The milestone comes as Maoist violence has declined sharply across the country, with the government declaring India free of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in March 2026.

According to available figures, eight CRPF personnel were killed in action in 2025, most of them in Maoist-affected areas. Another personnel died during field firing practice. In 2024, the force reported 12 deaths across Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Manipur.

The last operational fatalities were reported on October 30, 2025, when two CRPF personnel were killed in a blast during an area domination exercise in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district, which was then affected by Maoist activity.

CRPF chief calls it a major milestone

CRPF chief GP Singh described the achievement as a significant milestone, noting that the force had not recorded such a long fatality-free period since the year ending January 1979.

In a post on X, Singh said 12 consecutive months had passed without an operational fatality. He credited modern equipment, improved training, strategic planning and faster medical evacuation of injured personnel for helping the force achieve this record.

He also pointed out that the CRPF continued to remain actively deployed across major operational areas during this period. “We remain committed to keep the country peaceful & safe for all its citizens,” Singh said.

Focus shifts from Maoist areas to Manipur

The decline in Maoist activity has reduced the operational pressure on the force in states such as Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha. At the height of the insurgency, nearly 50,000 CRPF personnel were deployed in Left Wing Extremism-affected areas, including around 40,000 in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.

India was declared free of Maoist violence on March 30, 2026, following a major security crackdown that resulted in several surrenders, arrests and encounters. The last Maoist Central Committee member, Misir Besra, was arrested in Jharkhand on July 28.

However, the force is now facing fresh challenges in Manipur, where ethnic tensions between Naga and Kuki groups have increased security concerns. Several CRPF battalions have been shifted from Bastar to the northeastern state.

A Manipur-based officer said the state had become the force’s next major operational challenge. Referring to recent incidents in Imphal, the officer said three CRPF personnel had been injured in action after a bomb attack by militants.

The officer also pointed to increased tensions following the CRPF’s takeover of a camp belonging to cadres of a Suspension of Operations (SoO) group. The force has also replaced Assam Rifles personnel at several locations in the state.