Srinagar, Aug 6: Anti-riot Rapid Action Force was deployed in the Srinagar city on Friday to quell the raging protests in the city. It is for the first time that this specialized wing of the paramilitary forces has been called in for maintaining law and order in the Valley.
The deployment comes after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah sought them during his recent visit to New Delhi to curb the spiralling unrest in the valley.
After being airlifted from New Delhi on Thursday, the Rapid Action Force personnel carried out marches in several localities of the city today.
Large contingents of RAF armed with special equipments and vehicles for crowd control were seen patrolling in the downtown area of the city.
 “The RAF personnel carried out flag march in the downtown area and there was no need for their deployment today. Three companies have reached here yesterday,” Public Relations Officer of CRPF, Prabhakar Tripathi, told Greater Kashmir.
 Sources said that their deployment would be done in consultation with the state police, but they work independently in controlling the crowd.
 Sources said that RAF personnel are deployed for the ‘shortest spell of time’ in the emergent situations, according to parameters laid by Ministry of Home Affairs.
 “They have been stationed in the Dalgate area to use them in volatile areas,” sources said.
 Following the unrest in the Valley, 24 additional companies of CRPF including three of RAF were dispatched to valley, sources said, adding that three hundred personnel have also been sent from Jammu. The state government also moved in Army after 15 years in the city last month.
 Besides Army, Rashtriya Rifles, Para Commandos, Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Central Industrial Security Force falling under the jurisdiction of Ministries of Defence and Home are deployed in the state, most of them were moved in the nineties.
RAF OR UN PEACE-KEEPERS?
 People were surprised to see ‘UN’ inscribed on the helmets of Rapid Action Force personnel moving in the city.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 6 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 6 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 7 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST