The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has completed 12 consecutive months without a single operational fatality for the first time in 47 years, marking a significant milestone for India’s largest central armed police force.
The last operational fatality was recorded on October 30, 2025, with the milestone announced by CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh in November 2026. Singh credited improved equipment, better training, strategic planning and faster medical evacuation for the achievement.
The development comes as CRPF personnel continue to serve in challenging security environments, including Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and Left-Wing Extremism-affected regions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also acknowledged the achievement on November 3, describing it as “a zero that speaks volumes”.
The milestone highlights the importance of protecting security personnel through better preparation, operational planning and timely medical intervention.
A Historic Milestone
Announcing the achievement, CRPF Director General G.P. Singh said that 12 consecutive months had passed without any operational fatality, with the last such death occurring on October 30, 2025.
He described it as a significant milestone in the force’s history, noting that the previous comparable period ended in January 1979. Singh attributed the development to the provision of modern equipment, improved training and strategic planning, alongside greater attention to post-incident medical response.
He particularly highlighted the importance of rapidly evacuating injured personnel to secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities, where they can receive specialised treatment. According to reports, the force has also strengthened its operational preparedness through better protective equipment, detailed planning before deployments and increased attention to routine movements in high-risk areas.
A senior CRPF officer told The Times of India that operational planning now involves deploying around 1.5 times the required force during operations. The force has also expanded access to helicopter and air ambulance support, allowing injured personnel to be transported to advanced medical facilities more quickly.
These measures are significant because preventing fatalities does not depend only on avoiding injuries during an operation; the speed and quality of medical treatment after an injury can also determine whether a personnel member survives.
The Risks Behind The Record
The achievement carries particular significance given the CRPF’s extensive responsibilities in India’s internal security operations. With approximately 3.25 lakh personnel, it is the country’s largest central armed police force and plays a key role in counter-insurgency, anti-terrorism and anti-Naxal operations, alongside election security and law-and-order duties. Its personnel remain deployed in Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeast and areas previously affected by Left-Wing Extremism.
The force has also been involved in operations against Maoist groups, particularly in Chhattisgarh and other affected regions. The security environment has changed considerably over the years, with the government announcing in March 2026 that India had achieved its target of eliminating Left-Wing Extremism by the March 31 deadline. However, this does not mean that all security challenges have disappeared.
Manipur, for instance, has continued to experience episodes of violence following the ethnic conflict that began in May 2023, while counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir remain an important responsibility. The human cost of these deployments is reflected in the force’s history.
According to The Times of India, 2,268 CRPF personnel had been killed in operations between 1947 and 2026, averaging more than 28 operational fatalities annually. The force recorded its highest annual toll in 2010, when 143 personnel lost their lives, largely following a Maoist ambush that killed 75 CRPF personnel.
The recent milestone therefore represents more than a year without operational deaths; it also reflects the importance of learning from previous losses, improving preparedness and ensuring that personnel have access to adequate protection and medical support.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The achievement deserves recognition because every life protected during a difficult security operation represents a family spared the loss of a loved one. Better equipment, careful planning, effective training and timely medical treatment demonstrate how institutional preparedness can make a tangible difference to the safety of personnel.
However, the responsibility towards those serving in the country’s security forces must extend beyond operational statistics. Their physical safety, mental health, working conditions and access to institutional support deserve equal attention.
In August 2026, the National Human Rights Commission took suo motu cognisance of reports that 19 CRPF personnel had died by suicide between January and May 22, 2026, seeking reports from the Union Home Secretary and the CRPF Director General.
These deaths are separate from operational fatalities and should not diminish the significance of the recent achievement. Instead, they underline the need to view personnel welfare more comprehensively. Those who work to maintain peace and security often operate under immense professional and personal pressures, making access to timely healthcare, psychological support, adequate rest and a supportive working environment essential.
A strong security institution must be measured not only by its operational achievements but also by how it safeguards the dignity and well-being of its personnel. As the CRPF marks this historic milestone, how can India ensure that protecting those who protect the country remains a continuous institutional priority?
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