THERE were no mobile phones at the time. More often than not, we did not know exactly where he was going and why. There would be talk of a wireless message, a ‘signal’ that had come in urgently. He’d be up and ready in uniform, put on his cap, wear his boots. Mostly with a prayer and brave smile on his lips, he’d be gone quickly. Leaving us wondering, what was going on. We hardly ever knew when he will be back. Of course he was not the only one doing this. Every soldier who dons the uniform with honour and pride dedicates his life to the country, literally. There were and still are many ‘men in CRPF uniforms’ marching off into the unknown, with Service and Loyalty being the guiding motto. Their families are the quiet witness to a life that has been dedicated to the nation, not merely in words but in spirit. Nothing ever comes before that.

 

We would be curious about what had happened but had been conditioned not to ask. It would be in the papers the next day….an ambush, an attack on a bus carrying soldiers, a bomb blast…or similar anti national act. And that’s when, the little detectives would discover where he’d gone yesterday and why. No easy ride. He’d marched off with his team. If time permitted, a heavy breakfast was highly recommended. It was a common trend perhaps. Not because of the hunger element, but because there’s really no telling how lunch time will it take to return and what they will be doing. Going into the unknown, risking their lives whenever the need arise is what these sons of the soil do. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is the premier central police force of the Union of India for internal security. It has a national character and composition and is also known as Miniature India. Even at section level, persons from all parts of the country are mixed up.

 

They are peace custodians and sentinels of India's integrity. Broad duties being performed by the CRPF are: crowd control, riot control, counter militancy/insurgency operations, dealing with Left-Wing Extremism, overall co-ordination of large scale security arrangement specially with regard to elections in disturbed areas, fighting enemy in the event of war, participating in UN Peace Keeping Mission as per Government policy and rescue and Relief operations at the time of natural calamities and disasters. The list is long but the CRPF is a gallant, glorious, vibrant and resilient force. The mission of the Central Reserve Police Force is to enable the Government to maintain rule of law, public order and internal security effectively and efficiently, to preserve national integrity and promote social harmony and development by upholding supremacy of the Constitution. The bravehearts wear the boots and are eveready to march off, whenever required, wherever needed. Their families witness the real life heroes rising above their emotions, personal relationships and safety needs on a regular basis. Not once or twice but every time the nation calls. In the thick jungles, in remote hills, in urban conflict zones, in terrorist-infested territory, the CRPF men carry their tough training and mental armour wherever they go.

 

They demonstrate their love for the motherland by putting their life on the line. No easy task. Imagine how real the danger is their goodbyes sound like this: ‘Zinda rahe, to phir milenege’. Stress is not just another word. It is a part of their daily menu. A research study by the author on stress in police personnel, published in the NPA magazine, had found that there are some job related factors among Indian police personnel which are stressors such as inadequate equipment, fear of severe injury, working conditions, anti-terrorist operations, lack of recognition, being killed on duty, work overload, shooting someone in the line of duty; to name a few. According to recent media reports, CRPF believes stress-related issues are a major cause of suicide among personnel. According Home Ministry data, there were 53 cases of suicide in the CRPF in 2020 for a force of 3.25 lakh personnel. This was nearly double the national average, making it a key cause for concern. India observes Police Commemoration Day on October 21 every year, remembering all the police personnel martyred in the line of duty. The day is reminiscent of the sacrifices of ten CRPF bravehearts who scripted a saga of valour and sacrifices in the snow-laden, inaccessible and inhospitable terrain of Hot Springs in Ladakh back in 1959. October 21 was declared “Police Commemoration Day” to be observed by all police formations to commemorate loyalty and supreme sacrifice of police personnel for their motherland. The sacrifices of the CRPF personnel during the battle made the Hot Springs a sacred place of pilgrimage for policemen from all over the country. Paying tributes to police personnel martyred in the line of duty on Police Commemoration Day last year, the Prime Minister had said, "Police Commemoration Day is about expressing gratitude to our police personnel and their families all across India. We pay tributes to all the police personnel martyred in the line of duty.

 

Their sacrifice and service would always be remembered. From preserving law and order to solving horrendous crimes, from assistance in disaster management to fighting COVID-19, our police personnel always give their best without hesitation. We are proud of their diligence and readiness to assist citizens". In his book Problems of Police in a Democratic Society, Dr. K. M. Mathur, himself a distinguished police leader and brilliant social thinker, emphasised the need for research. He wrote ‘If the police organisation has to cater effectively to the needs of changing society, the leaders in the organisation need to examine, describe, analyse honestly “why we do and what we do”. The turbulent nature of contemporary society requires that police organisations institutionalise the capacity to change and innovate.’ In the heart-warming words of Carol Berg, ‘A soldier never dies. His blood makes the grass green for his children’. By being law abiding citizens let us honour the memory of those who put ‘Service & Loyalty’ to the nation first. Jai Hind. (The author is psychologist and trainer at Arunima Ankuran.)