New Delhi: Vikram Srivastava on Sunday took over
as the chief of the largest paramilitary force in the world
- CRPF - at a time when security forces are preparing for a
coordinated onslaught against the Naxals, which he termed as
"challenging."
A 1973-batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre,
Srivastava took over the charge from the outgoing Director
General A S Gill, who attained superannuation today.
57-year-old Srivastava, who was earlier heading the ITBP,
guarding the crucial Sino-Indian border, said the CRPF has an
operation plan against the Naxals and stressed that the force
"will do a good job".
Asked about the planned offensive against the left-wing
extremists, Srivastava, who had earlier served with the CRPF
as an Inspector General of Police said, "The force is rising
to the occasion to meet the challenges."
Interestingly, with Srivastava taking over charge of the
force, which has been mandated with internal security duties,
it would be for the first time that two brothers are heading
the two largest paramilitary force of the country, as his
elder brother Raman Srivastava is the chief of BSF.
"It is a job which one has to do. I am serving here in my
own right," Srivastava said when asked how he feels about the
unique distinction shared by the brothers.
Sources said the new DG is likely to visit Naxal affected
areas soon to get a first hand experience as the CRPF is the
main force mandated to counter Naxals.
The government had recently included both the ITBP and
the BSF in the anti-Naxal operation and have appointed Vijay
Raman, CRPF Special DG as the Commander of the joint central
forces numbering over 60,000 personnel.
Srivastava will have a tenure till March 31, 2012 and his
name was cleared by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet
headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
PTI
