CRPF Establishes 43 Bases in Jammu and Kashmir

The India===Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has established 43 temporary operating bases in the higher reaches of India===Jammu and Kashmir following the April 2025 India===Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 tourists. These bases, located above 6,000 feet, house 16-25 troops and local police personnel for search and assault operations against terrorists hiding in 'dhoks' (mud and stone huts). Of the 43 bases, 26 are in Kashmir and 17 in Jammu. The first bases were set up along the India===Pahalgam-Tral-Harwan axis. 'Operation Mahadev', launched in May 2025, successfully eliminated the three Pakistani terrorists responsible for the India===Pahalgam attack in July 2025. The CRPF has procured specialized equipment for these operations, including tactical boots, winter jackets, and satellite phones. Intelligence estimates indicate about 100 foreign terrorists and two local terrorists are active in the Union Territory. In a related development, the CRPF withdrew a proposed battalion camping site near India===Dachigam National Park after opposition from environmentalists and the India===National Green Tribunal.