CRPF Chief Assures Troops: Act Fearlessly, I'll Bear Responsibility

Gyanendra Pratap Singh, the Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), has assured his personnel that they can perform their duties without fear, with him taking full responsibility and accountability for their decisions. The assurance was made during the force's investiture ceremony.

“As the Director General of the CRPF, I want to assure each one of you that whether it is an operational battalion or a law-and-order unit, whatever decisions you take and whatever actions you carry out in the bonafide discharge of your duties, I take responsibility for all those decisions and actions,” Singh said. “Continue to perform your duties fearlessly. Wherever responsibility or accountability needs to be taken, I will take it as the Director General,” he added.

Just days earlier, Singh told news agency ANI that a “professional post-event assessment” would be conducted into the action taken by Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel against protesters in an exam paper leak issue. The RAF, which comes under the CRPF, is trained for riot control, crowd management, and handling civil unrest. Conducting a “professional post-event assessment” after every major operation is part of the CRPF’s standard operating procedure (SOP).

The CRPF has a pan-India presence and is known for its ability to swiftly adjust to diverse situational demands while collaborating with state police. It has earned a reputation as one of the most widely embraced forces by both the public and state administrations over the years.

The force has been involved in fighting insurgents in parts of the northeast region and Maoists in the heartland. Its Commando Battalions for Resolute Action (CoBRA) operators have engaged in guerrilla and jungle warfare operations. In November 2024, CRPF personnel shot dead 10 suspected Kuki insurgents in an encounter in Manipur’s Jiribam district after the insurgents attacked a village near the Assam border.

The CRPF often operates in difficult circumstances where every decision has a thin margin of error. Singh’s statement underscores the force’s commitment to supporting its personnel in challenging situations.