The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has recorded no operational fatalities for 12 consecutive months for the first time in 47 years, marking a significant milestone for India's largest central armed police force amid a sharp decline in Maoist violence across the country.
CRPF Director General GP Singh announced the achievement on Monday, saying the force had completed an entire year without losing a single personnel member in operational incidents. The last such fatality was recorded on October 30, 2025, while the previous comparable period ended in January 1979.
The milestone comes as the government has declared the country free of Maoist insurgency following sustained security operations, surrenders and arrests. However, the CRPF continues to face operational challenges in other regions, particularly Manipur, where ethnic tensions have required an expanded security presence.
๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ต๐ณ๐ต
Singh described the achievement as particularly significant because the force continued to undertake intensive operations across major security theatres during the period.
He attributed the absence of operational fatalities to improved equipment, better training, strategic planning and faster medical assistance for injured personnel.
According to the CRPF chief, greater emphasis on post-incident response, including rapid evacuation to secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities, had contributed substantially to reducing the risk of fatalities.
He said the force remained committed to maintaining peace and protecting citizens while continuing its operational responsibilities.
The CRPF, with a strength exceeding three lakh personnel, is deployed across the country for counterinsurgency, internal security and other duties.
๐ ๐ฎ๐ผ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฝ๐น๐
The fatality-free period coincided with a substantial reduction in Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), which had historically accounted for a significant proportion of CRPF casualties.
In 2025, eight CRPF personnel were killed in action in Maoist-affected areas of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, while another personnel member died during field firing practice.
In 2024, the force recorded 12 deaths in incidents across Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Manipur.
At the height of the Maoist insurgency in the mid-2000s, more than 100 districts across India were affected by Left-Wing Extremism. The CRPF maintained a substantial presence in these regions, particularly in Chhattisgarh's Bastar division.
Nearly 50,000 CRPF personnel were deployed in Maoist-affected areas at the peak of the insurgency, including approximately 40,000 in Bastar, which was considered a major stronghold of armed Maoist groups.
The government announced on March 30, 2026, that the country had achieved its objective of eliminating Maoist insurgency, following a campaign involving security operations, arrests and surrenders.
๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ
The last operational fatalities occurred in October 2025 in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, which was then affected by Maoist activity.
Inspector Kousal Kumar Mishra and Head Constable Mahendra Lashkar lost their lives following a blast during an area domination operation.
Mishra succumbed to his injuries, while Lashkar was killed in the same incident.
The deaths were among the final operational casualties suffered by the force during the campaign against Left-Wing Extremism.
The subsequent decline in Maoist activity has allowed security agencies to reduce their deployment in some formerly affected regions and redirect personnel towards other areas requiring attention.
The arrest of senior Maoist leader Misir Besra in Jharkhand on July 28, 2026, was another development in the government's campaign against the insurgency.
๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ฝ๐๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ท๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐
With Maoist-related operations declining, the CRPF has increasingly shifted its attention towards Manipur, where continuing ethnic tensions and militant activity have presented fresh challenges.
Several CRPF battalions previously stationed in Bastar have been redeployed to the northeastern state, where the force has assumed responsibilities in areas earlier managed by the Assam Rifles.
Security officials have indicated that Manipur now represents one of the CRPF's principal operational priorities.
The force has also faced attacks in the state, including an incident in Imphal in which three personnel were injured by an explosive device allegedly used by militants.
The expanding deployment comes amid tensions involving Naga and Kuki groups and concerns surrounding security arrangements in areas previously occupied by armed groups operating under Suspension of Operations agreements.
Officials have indicated that additional CRPF personnel could be deployed to strengthen security arrangements and respond to emerging challenges.
๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐
The CRPF's achievement underscores the importance of improved operational preparedness, protective equipment and timely medical intervention in reducing fatalities during security operations.
While the decline in Maoist violence has contributed to the milestone, the force's leadership has emphasised that operational risks remain in several parts of the country.
The challenge ahead will be to sustain the fatality-free record while maintaining security operations in regions facing insurgency, militancy and communal tensions.
For the CRPF, the 12-month period represents a rare achievement in its operational history, even as its personnel continue to serve in some of India's most sensitive security environments.