Railways to deploy commandos in Naxal-hit areas, J-K

Set up to guard passengers and goods on trains in critical rail sectors of India, the Commandos for Railway Safety (CORAS) will be deployed in Naxal-prone belts, Jammu and Kashmir and North East after its maiden launch on Wednesday, a senior official said.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and MoS Railway Suresh C Angadi will launch CORAS in New Delhi.

Soon after its launch on Wednesday, the CORAS will be deployed in critical and sensitive areas of the country, Director General, Railways Protection Force (RPF), Arun Kumar told PTI on Tuesday.

He said the force will be deployed on trains in Naxal-prone areas, Jammu and Kashmir and parts of North Eastern states like Tripura and Manipur.

In order to deal with security challenges faced by critical urban centres, the apex body of all zonal railways, the Railway Board, had issued directives to all its 18 zones calling for the formulation of the commando unit, CORAS.

Comprising the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) personnel, the CORAS is headed by the Director General of the RPF and is armed with special uniforms with bullet-proof jackets, helmets and sophisticated weapons, officials said.

Kumar said there are 14 battalions of RPSF and one of its battalions have been converted into CORAS.

The men of CORAS have been trained in the NSG academy and Greyhounds, he said.

Greyhounds specialize in anti-insurgency operations against Naxalites.

CORAS commandos will be undergoing training programmes including basic and advanced commando courses with specialisation in handling landmines and improvised explosive devices, hostage rescue, sniping and breaching.

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is an 'Armed Force of the Union', constituted under the Railway Protection Force Act, 1957 for better protection and security of railway property, passenger areas and passengers.