Shivamogga/New Delhi: The foundation stone of a new battalion campus of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) will be laid by Union Home Minister Anit Shah on Saturday in the Shivamogaa district, informed officials.
According to a report by PTI, Chief Minister and Shikaripura MLA B S Yediyurappa will be accompanying Shah for the ceremony that will begin at around 1 PM. Senior officials of the paramilitary force led by Director General A P Maheshwari will also be present on the occasion.
Land measuring 50.29 acres has been allocated by the state government for the purpose of building the headquarters of the 97th battalion of the RAF, the special anti-riots wing of the Central Reserve Police Force that is seen wearing the blue dungarees.
Speaking tp PTI, a senior official said the campus, once built, will have a hospital, a Kendriya Vidyalaya, family quarters for troops, administrative building, family welfare centre, sports facilities including a stadium and swimming pool. “A total of 1,270 troops of the newly raised 97th RAF battalion, including 106 women personnel, will be based here,” he added.
The 97th RAF battalion will have jurisdiction over several districts in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, and Puducherry for deployment by the Central Government in order to deal with communal incidents, riots, protests or events involving large congregations.
The RAF was raised in 1992 under the CRPF, which is the country’s largest central armed police force.
(with PTI inputs)