What Happened
- Following the April 22, 2025 terror attack at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam — which killed 26 tourists — the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has established 43 Temporary Operating Bases (TOBs) in hilly terrain of Jammu and Kashmir at altitudes of 6,000 feet and above.
- The bases are distributed across J&K: 26 in the Kashmir region and 17 in the Jammu region; the first TOB was set up in the Pahalgam-Tral-Harwan range in South Kashmir.
- Each TOB houses 16-25 CRPF personnel along with local police, serving as launch pads for search-and-assault operations targeting terrorists sheltering in high-altitude "dhoks" (stone huts used seasonally by shepherds).
- Personnel are equipped with ergonomic backpacks, advanced tactical gear, double/triple-layered protective jackets, and specialised trekking boots for prolonged high-altitude operations.
- One TOB was directly used in "Operation Mahadev" (July 2025), which successfully eliminated all three terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam attack.
Static Topic Bridges
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) — Organisation and Counter-Insurgency Role
The CRPF is India's largest Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and the primary counter-insurgency force in both Jammu & Kashmir and the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected states. Established by the Crown Representative's Police Act, 1939 and reconstituted under the CRPF Act, 1949, the CRPF operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs. In J&K, the CRPF is deployed for internal security duties: area domination, anti-infiltration grid, VIP protection, and — critically — counter-insurgency operations in conjunction with the Indian Army and J&K Police. It has specialised wings including the Cobra (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) deployed in LWE zones and the RRF (Rapid Reaction Force) for hostage rescue.
- Established: 1939 (as Crown Representative's Police); reconstituted under CRPF Act, 1949
- Headquarters: New Delhi; Director General (DG) heads the force
- Strength: Approximately 3.25 lakh personnel — India's largest CAPF
- J&K deployment: Counter-insurgency grid, Rashtriya Rifles (Army) coordination
- CAPFs under MHA: CRPF, BSF (border guarding), CISF (industrial security), ITBP (Himalayan border), SSB (Nepal-Bhutan border), NSG (counter-terrorism)
Connection to this news: The TOB strategy represents the CRPF extending its counter-insurgency grid into high-altitude terrain traditionally beyond the reach of sustained security deployments, addressing a tactical gap exposed by the Pahalgam attack.
Jammu & Kashmir Internal Security Architecture Post-Article 370
After the revocation of J&K's special status (Article 370) on August 5, 2019, and its bifurcation into two Union Territories (J&K with legislature; Ladakh without legislature), the security architecture in the region underwent a transformation. J&K is now directly administered by the Centre through a Lieutenant Governor, with the J&K Police and CAPF deployments under closer central coordination. Counter-terrorism operations are jointly executed by the Indian Army, CRPF, J&K Police, and intelligence agencies (IB, RAW, MI). The Unified Headquarters (UHQ), chaired by the J&K LG, coordinates all security forces. The Rashtriya Rifles (RR), the Indian Army's counter-insurgency force raised in 1990 specifically for J&K, operates alongside CRPF in the most active militancy zones.
- Article 370 revocation: August 5, 2019 (J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019)
- J&K: Union Territory with Legislature; Ladakh: Union Territory without Legislature
- Unified Headquarters: Chaired by J&K LG; coordinates Army, CRPF, J&K Police, IB, RAW
- Rashtriya Rifles: Raised 1990; counter-insurgency; under Army; operates in 15+ Rashtriya Rifles sectors
- Pahalgam attack (April 22, 2025): 26 tourists killed at Baisaran meadow; claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba
- Operation Mahadev (July 2025): TOB-based operation that eliminated 3 Pahalgam attack perpetrators
Connection to this news: The 43 TOBs are part of the post-Article 370 security consolidation in J&K — extending the security grid into seasonal high-altitude areas that were previously ungoverned spaces exploited by militants.
High-Altitude Counter-Insurgency — Doctrinal and Tactical Dimensions
High-altitude counter-insurgency (COIN) in J&K presents unique operational challenges: thin air reduces stamina and weapon performance; snow and ice make vehicle movement impossible; dhoks (seasonal shepherd huts) provide natural concealment; and logistics chains for sustained operations are long and vulnerable. The TOB model addresses these challenges by pre-positioning small, self-sufficient units that can operate for days without resupply — closing the gap between patrol base areas and active militant hideouts. The approach mirrors doctrines used in other high-altitude COIN environments globally (Afghanistan, Northern Pakistan's FATA) with adaptations for specific J&K terrain.
- TOB characteristics: 6,000+ feet altitude; 16-25 personnel; equipped for extended operations; no permanent infrastructure needed
- Tactical purpose: Launch pad for cordon-and-search in dhok areas during summer months when militants move to higher reaches to evade valley-based patrols
- Equipment issued: Ergonomic backpacks (fatigue reduction), multi-layer jackets (thermal protection), specialised trekking boots
- Intelligence integration: Human intelligence (HUMINT) from local contacts + aerial surveillance feeds TOB operations
- Summer COIN: April-October is the critical window — militants use summer routes in high-altitude zones; TOBs counter this
Connection to this news: The TOBs directly address the tactical lesson of the Pahalgam attack: militants had exploited the absence of a sustained security presence in high-altitude meadow areas to plan and execute the strike on tourists.
Key Facts & Data
- Pahalgam attack: April 22, 2025; 26 tourists killed; Baisaran meadow, South Kashmir
- Claimed by: The Resistance Front (TRF) — a shadow group of Lashkar-e-Taiba
- TOBs established: 43 total (26 in Kashmir valley, 17 in Jammu division)
- First TOB: Pahalgam-Tral-Harwan range, South Kashmir (July 2025)
- TOB altitude: 6,000 feet and above
- Personnel per TOB: 16-25 CRPF troops + local police
- Operation Mahadev: Successfully eliminated all 3 Pahalgam attack perpetrators (July 2025)
- CRPF strength: ~3.25 lakh personnel — India's largest CAPF
- Article 370 revoked: August 5, 2019; J&K made UT with legislature; Ladakh made UT without legislature
- Rashtriya Rifles: Counter-insurgency force raised 1990; coordinates with CRPF in J&K