Facing own people tougher than tackling terror, says CBI chief

“As a nation, we must always be ready to face new challenges. CRPF will have to prepare itself to effectively deal with emerging threats and to protect the interests of our country,” CBI chief Praveen Sood said. (File) | Photo Credit: The Hindu The Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Praveen Sood, said on July 27 that dealing with agitations involving citizens is often more challenging than tackling terrorism.“Sometimes I feel that facing terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir or dealing with any insurgency is perhaps even easier than when we have to face our own people, because using force against them is very difficult,” he said while addressing the 88th Raising Day event of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) as the chief guest.His remarks follow the July 20 march to Parliament organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) — a specialised anti-riot unit of the CRPF — were accused of using disproportionate force, including pellet guns, against protesters.New challenges“As a nation, we must always be ready to face new challenges. CRPF will have to prepare itself to effectively deal with emerging threats and to protect the interests of our country,” he said.Mr. Sood said that the new challenges being seen today — whether involving farmers, labourers, students, or the youth — would become an even bigger challenge for the country to deal with in the future.“We will have to expand our training programmes, use technology, and strengthen our intelligence to prepare our force to face all these new challenges that are coming up,” he said.He stated that whenever the country faces a crisis — whether it involves student, farmer, or labour unrest, or issues such as tribal conflict, terrorism, or Naxalism — the CRPF will always be remembered as the crisis responder.Speaking at the same event, CRPF Director General G.P. Singh urged personnel to “work fearlessly”.“I have said this before, and I reiterate and assure each one of you that whether it is an operational battalion or a law-and-order unit, whatever decisions you take and whatever actions you carry out in the bona fide discharge of your duties, I take responsibility for all those decisions and actions,” Mr. Singh said. Published - July 31, 2026 12:10 am IST