59 commandos give themselves break to visit home, probe ordered

NEW DELHI: Fifty-nine newly recruited commandos of the Central Reserve Police Force ( CRPF) stunned the brass of India's largest paramilitary force when they abandoned their journey to the headquarters in Bihar and went home without informing anyone.

The mass bunking by the CoBRA personnel, who were returning from Srinagar after a five-day basic training session, forced the CRPF to order an inquiry into the matter after they didn't report for duty in Bihar, where they were supposed to be posted in Naxalism-affected areas.
The incident occurred on Sunday at Mughalsarai railway station. Officials said the jawans did not inform their contingent commander, who was on board the train, and made their escape in the night.

CRPF director general K Durga Prasad told TOI that he had ordered a court of inquiry into the incident. Prasad said the commandos had come early from J&K as they had to reach Bihar on February 7. He, however, agreed that "they cannot be termed deserters even though they should have informed the seniors".

The force played down the episode and said, "These personnel were returning to their unit after completion of their training at Recruitment Training Centre, Srinagar, and had their return reservations from Jammu to Gaya on February 5 in Sealdah Express. Due to inclement weather and road blockade, these personnel were sent to Jammu on February 1 and decided to board an early train on February 2. Since they were early as per their scheduled programme, they decided on their own to avail Saturday and Sunday to visit their homes without prior permission from competent authority. These personnel have committed misconduct for which they will be dealt with departmentally."

Senior officials of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) and CRPF said the jawans were scheduled to report at the headquarters of the 205th CoBRA unit in Gaya in Bihar for their onward deployment for special anti-Naxal operations. They were trained in a batch of 600 commandos in J&K. Others were to follow them later.

"A full Inquiry has been ordered by the force headquarters in Delhi. The trainers and the havildar who was accompanying these commandos have got in touch with some of those who vanished from the train without informing seniors. Some have promised to report by tomorrow," a senior official said.