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{{Short description|Paramilitary unit}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 241 Bastariya Battalion
| dates = 2018–present
| country = {{flag|India}}
| allegiance = [[Central Reserve Police Force]]
| size = [[Battalion (military)|Battalion]]
| nickname = Bastariya Battalion
}}

The '''Bastariya Battalion''', also known as "Battalion 241," is a unit of India's [[Central Reserve Police Force]] (CRPF), based in [[Chhattisgarh]].<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2018-06-01 |title=The ‘Bastariya Battalion’ |url=https://www.epw.in/journal/2018/22/editorials/%E2%80%98bastariya-battalion%E2%80%99.html |language=en |volume=53 |issue=22}}</ref> The unit is tasked with curbing [[Naxalite|Naxalist]] activities in Chhattisgarh state.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=179423|title=Passing out Parade of CRPF's Bastariya Battalion tomorrow|website=pib.nic.in|access-date=2018-06-02}}</ref> The battalion is named "Bastariya" because the force is composed of locals — both male and female — from [[Dantewada district|Dantewada]], [[Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh|Bijapur]], [[Sukma district|Sukma]], and [[Narayanpur district|Narayanpur]] — some of the most [[Communist Party of India (Maoist)|Maoist]]-affected districts in [[Bastar district]], Chhattisgarh.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bastariya-battalion-to-take-on-naxal-threat/articleshow/64265119.cms|title=Bastariya Battalion to take on Naxal threat - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-06-02}}</ref>

The battalion's sanctioned size is set at 743 personnel; the unit is currently composed of 534 personnel, 189 of whom are female, in accordance with the Indian Government's policy of 33% reservation for women.<ref name=":0" />

== History ==
The Bastariya Battalion was formed on 1 April 2017 in order to "enhance local representation in [[Central Reserve Police Force|CRPF]]'s combat lay-out in the Bastar area",{{cn|date=August 2018}} as well as to provide the Bastariya youth with secure employment. Accordingly, its recruitment process was unusual. Physical standards of height and weight were relaxed to give a fair chance to the local applicants, and the CRPF provided pre-educational and physical training to the local youths through Civic Action Programmes to maximize applicants' eligibility for induction into the special formation.<ref name=":0" />

Union Home Minister [[Rajnath Singh]] commissioned the Bastariya Battalion on 21 May 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1532929|title=Press Information Bureau|website=pib.nic.in|language=en|access-date=2018-06-02}}</ref> He attended the passing out parade of 241 Bastariya Battalion of the [[Central Reserve Police Force|CRPF]] in Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh, on 21 May 2018.

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Paramilitary forces of India]]

Bastariya Battalion - Revision history

Bot at 18:28, 18 November 2022