RAF Raising Day celebrated
The 18th Raising Day of the 105 Battalion of the Rapid Action Force of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was celebrated at the Vellalore base camp on December 1.The Rapid Action Force (RAF) was first raised on October 7, 1991 by giving specialised training to 10 battalions of CRPF for the purpose of quelling communal riots and to ensure peace. These battalions were positioned in communally sensitive and volatile locations across the country.RAF had the capabilities to reach with lightening speed in case of riots or riotous situation. The RAF was also given the additional role of disaster management and rescue. Within 11 years of advent, the RAF bagged the President’s Flag and Colour on October 7, 2003.The 105 Battalion of the RAF was raised on December 1, 1990 at Guwahati and was converted as an RAF battalion on March 1, 1992. This unit was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram on August 4, 1994.After the communal riots and serial blasts, on February 4, 2003, the battalion was shifted to its present base at Coimbatore.The battalion had identified itself with the community through a lot of social service works and had played yeomen role in rescue and relief operations during the December 26, 2004 tsunami at Nagapattinam and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Mohinder Kumar, Commandant of the battalion pointed out.
The battalion rose to the occasion in the rescue and relief operations during the building collapse on Vincent Road in Ukkadam on October 19, 2007.The battalion had a number of celebrities including the Commandant, an ace swimmer in Asian Games, Olympians Kunja Rani and Jincy Phillip besides Asian Games and Wold Police Games participants K.P. Suma and G. Vijayan.On the raising day, the RAF battalion displayed its gadgets, equipment, armoury and its riot combat methodologies as illustrations.A series of competitions were conducted. Cultural programmes and a barakhana were also organised as part of the celebrations.
