Sixty-five officers, including five women, were today commissioned into country's largest paramilitary force CRPF here.
The officers will now be posted as Assistant Commandants (ACs) in the about 3-lakh personnel strong force which is also the mainstay for anti-Naxal operations in various Left Wing Extremism-affected states.
The passing-out parade of the new recruits was held at the Officers Training Academy of the Central Reserve Police Force in Kadarpur here after which their ranks were 'piped' on their uniforms by their parents and senior officials.
The event also saw setting of a new example as former BSF Director General Prakash Singh officiated as the chief guest and took salute from the trainee officers.
Singh, a Padma Shree awardee, is one of the most respected police officers in the country and his work on police reforms are seen with much importance.
"Usually, the Home Minister or his junior collegaue in the ministry takes the salute during such ceremonial events. In the absence of these dignitaries, either the force chief or the Principal of the training academy does the honour but CRPF DG Prakash Mishra wanted the honour to go to a respected police officer like Singh and not himself," a senior official said.
Singh had been the DGP of Uttar Pradesh and Assam in his career.
The young officers inducted today were trained for 50-weeks in battle craft and tactics as they enter the ranks of the force.
Speaking on the occasion, CRPF DG Mishra said the real test of the officers will start when they face the realities on the field as he urged them to learn from their surroundings.
Prakash Singh congratulated the trainees for their flawless parade and advised the trainees to distinguish between their friend and foe and face challenges fearlessly.
