R.C. Sharma

Are personnel of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) mere cannon fodder at the altar of decision-making? They are the ones who have increasingly been taking the bullet for the errors in decisions at political, strategic, tactical or execution level.

The killing of 17 Territorial Army soldiers in Tripura in December 2004 by militants; butchering of 76 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) soldiers at Chintalnar in Chhattisgarh; killing of 26 CRPF jawans again in Chhattisgarh in June 2010; killing of large numbers of Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers in the first phase of militancy/ insurgency in Kashmir and the everyday killing of army personnel in Kashmir are all the result of errors committed by all in hierarchy i.e., political executive, permanent executive, military /CAPF /police leadership at strategic, tactical and execution level.

The killing of 40 CRPF soldiers by local militant Adil Dar of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), who rammed his explosive laden car into a CRPF convoy vehicle, has led to a wave of widespread condemnation and condolences. The tragic incident united all political parties – a welcome change indeed - who demanded strict action against the perpetrators of the terror act. At the same time a feeling of revenge filled the hearts of many Indians who wanted to teach Pakistan a lesson. Many turned their anger against Kashmiris too – Dar was a local Kashmiri trained by JeM. Many Kashmiri youth in different parts of the country were attacked. This type of revenge rhetoric against cross-border terror is justified and welcome. But bringing in