Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that central forces will remain deployed in West Bengal for at least seven more days after the assembly elections, assuring voters of security during and after the polls.
West Bengal prohibits victory rallies following election result announcements and addresses concerns regarding agents' access to counting centres.
The CRPF has established 43 temporary operating bases in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir to search for and eliminate terrorists hiding in high-altitude areas.
"The central paramilitary forces have arrived in the city. One is from Bengaluru, another being grouped from Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Mysuru," Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner of Police (West division) Sanjeev M Patil said.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Sriprakash Jaiswal said, in a written reply, that "there is no definite trend of increase in cases of suicides and fratricides in the central police forces".
Voting has commenced for the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, with over 3.60 crore electors eligible to vote in 152 constituencies in Bengal and 5.73 crore voters in Tamil Nadu. Security measures are heightened to ensure free and fair polling.
Over 9,000 personnel have left central paramilitary forces this year owing to reasons varying from domestic problems to deployment in remote and difficult terrains, besides VRS schemes and death or disability.
"The Home Ministry is providing central forces to the state government as requested by it. Rapid Action Force units are already positioned in Mumbai," a senior Home Ministry official said.
The Election Commission has deployed 432 counting observers across all 294 assembly constituencies in West Bengal to ensure transparent and smooth counting of votes. Several districts have been assigned additional observers in view of their sensitivity and electoral significance. Enforcement agencies have carried out extensive seizure drives during the election period to curb illegal inducements, with total seizures valued at approximately Rs 561 crore.
Nine persons, including five policemen, were killed and as many were wounded as CPI-Maoist rebels carried out simultaneous attacks on a police station and an outpost in Rohtas district.
The high-pitched campaign for the first phase of West Bengal assembly elections concluded with the BJP and TMC focusing on electoral rolls and dietary habits, while making promises to voters. Voting is scheduled in 152 constituencies across north Bengal and southern districts, with over 3.60 crore electors eligible to vote. A record number of Central paramilitary forces have been deployed, and several districts have been identified as highly sensitive.
Over 70 companies of paramilitary forces and more than 15,000 police personnel will be deployed across the national capital for Republic Day celebrations, an official said. The city will be monitored by drones and CCTV surveillance, and cyber-specialist officers will be deployed to oversee operations. Multi-layered security arrangements, including six layers of checking and frisking, barricading, and thousands of CCTV cameras with Facial Recognition Systems (FRS), will be in place.
Following the direction of the Calcutta high court, the West Bengal government on Wednesday decided to deploy paramilitary forces in three districts of Hooghly, Barrackpore and Kolkata during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations, a senior official said.
Both the forces were of the view that inclusion of its personnel who have joined the service on or after January 1, 2004 in the new contributory pension scheme launched by the government was unfair.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that the TMC will return to power for a fourth term, urging opposition parties to unite against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. She criticised the BJP's chargesheet against the TMC and alleged corruption in the Haldia dock complex. Banerjee also questioned Prime Minister Modi's claim of being the BJP candidate in all West Bengal seats.
The contingent marched on the tune of CRPF song 'desh ke hum hai rakshak' played by the force band on the Kartavya Path.
After the three armed forces, it is now the turn of the central police organisations (CPOs) and paramilitary forces (CPMFs) to raise a pitch for 'parity' in pay scales with their military counterparts.
Counting of votes begins in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and West Bengal, with significant implications for regional and national parties.
The repatriation orders for the two Indian Police Service officers come in the backdrop of a spate of terror incidents in the Jammu region, along the India-Pakistan border.
Around 25,000 total of all paramilitary paramedics and doctors will be vaccinated in the first phase.
The new directives will also come to the aid of those personnel from Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Indo Tibetan Border Patrol, Special Security Bureau, National Security Guard and Assam Rifles who have 'acquired' colour blindness after being recruited in these central forces
The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at premises linked to Punjab industries minister Sanjeev Arora as part of a FEMA probe into alleged foreign exchange violations, insider trading, and round-tripping of funds.
The Indian government reports over 93,000 vacant posts in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles, impacting law enforcement and security capabilities. Recruitment efforts are underway to address the shortfall.
The return of around 6,000 paramilitary personnel to Jammu and Kashmir after election duty elsewhere has triggered large scale rumours, ranging from further bifurcation of the union territory to announcement of elections after realigning districts, for the last three days.
'This is a major rupture in Tamil Nadu's political order.' 'For the Dravidian parties, the message is clear: The old DMK-AIADMK binary is no longer guaranteed a future.'
Glimpses from the massive security crackdown across Jammu and Kashmir, as police and paramilitary forces launch coordinated raids to dismantle the terror network.
The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections was disrupted by EVM glitches and overnight violence in several districts. Polling was halted or delayed at multiple booths due to malfunctioning Electronic Voting Machines. Incidents of violence were reported in Murshidabad and Cooch Behar, with political parties trading accusations.
Pushing for partial withdrawal of controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday discounted suggestions that this will benefit terrorists, saying it is time to believe in the state police and paramilitary forces
West Bengal is on edge as it awaits the results of its recent election, with the TMC and BJP vying for control. The counting process will be conducted under tight security, with the Election Commission implementing stringent measures to ensure a fair and transparent process.
A 30-year-old man was arrested in Hyderabad for allegedly impersonating a CISF officer to deceive a woman and her family into marriage. He used photographs in uniform on social media and matrimonial platforms to falsely project himself as a central government employee.
Tensions escalate as Iranian forces attack a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz after Trump announced the ceasefire extension.
The question is no longer whether the war will expand. It has. The next few days will tell us whether the war stabilises around Hormuz or whether the Strait itself becomes the trigger for a far larger rupture. What to watch for over the next 48 hours is simple: Any move by the US toward direct naval control of the Strait; any credible Iranian attempt to disrupt or mine shipping lanes and, critically, whether energy infrastructure in the Gulf continues to be targeted.If those lines are crossed in tandem, the war will no longer be containable within the region.
Odisha-based BonV Aero has partnered with ParaZero Technologies to introduce advanced counter-drone systems to India's defence and security agencies, offering a kinetic solution to neutralise hostile drones.
The CRPF bagged the lion's share -- Rs 1,698 crore. It got Rs 7,208.18 crore this year against Rs 5,510.10 crore in 2008-09. The BSF, entrusted the task of keeping vigil along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir and the country's 6,622 km borders with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, got Rs 1,156.23 crore more compared to last year's Rs 5,376.99 crore. The elite commando force NSG, which played a sterling role in Mumbai terror attacks, has got Rs 44.63 crore more.
Delhi Police have arrested seven more people and apprehended a minor in connection with the death of a 26-year-old man during a clash between two families in Uttam Nagar on Holi. The police are also warning against the spread of AI-generated misinformation about the incident.
The Election Commission suspended three central armed police force personnel after a video surfaced showing them playing carrom inside a Trinamool Congress office in West Bengal. A departmental inquiry has been ordered into the matter.
Daily yoga has now been made compulsory for the 10 lakh-strong central paramilitary forces as part of their physical drill.
The Union Budget 2025-26 had allocated Rs 2,33,210.68 crore (BE) to the ministry helmed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma announces the complete elimination of armed Naxals in the state, attributing the success to strategic planning and security operations. He highlights the rehabilitation efforts for remaining cadres and future plans for security camps.
The Nagaland government is putting to use services of paramilitary forces to instill a sense of security among non-Naga communities
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