India will raise five more battalions to be deployed in occupied Kashmir to suppress the Kashmiris’ just struggle for securing their inalienable right to self-determination, Kashmir Media Service reported on Monday.
According to KMS, a senior official of Indian Home Ministry told media that they had moved a proposal for raising 17 India Reserve Battalions, of which five would be for Jammu and Kashmir and 12 for the states where Maoist were engaged in the struggle for freedom from India. Each battalion will comprise 1,100 recruits and the cost of raising each of the battalion will be around Rs 61 crore of which 75 per cent will be provided by the Indian government.
The personnel of India Reserve Battalion are normally deployed in their respective states but they can be deployed in other states too. At present, there are 144 India Reserve Battalions in various states. In addition, India has recently approved raising of eight additional IR Battalions – four each for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, said KMS.