RAF 34th Raising Day: Leaders Salute CRPF's Riot-Control Force
The CRPF's Rapid Action Force marked its 34th Raising Day on 7 October 2026. Chief Ministers of UP, Delhi and Rajasthan saluted RAF personnel for their courage and discipline in handling riots, crowds and natural disasters.
India celebrated the Rapid Action Force Raising Day on 7 October 2026, as the special riot-control wing of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) completed 34 years of service. Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers from several states sent their wishes to RAF personnel and praised their courage, discipline and calm handling of tough situations.
The RAF works under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It was set up to reach places hit by riots, mob violence or other law-and-order problems as quickly as possible. The force marks 7 October every year because it became fully ready for duty on this day in 1992.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath greeted RAF personnel and their families. He praised their bravery and dedication in difficult conditions, and their role in keeping the country united and peaceful. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta called the force a shield that protects peace and internal security, and saluted its members.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma said the country is proud of the duty, courage and discipline shown by RAF personnel. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo also sent greetings. They pointed to the calm and professional way the force keeps law and order.
Looking back at the Rapid Action Force history, the Union Home Ministry decided in December 1991 to create a separate force for quick response. Some existing CRPF battalions were changed into this new unit, and the first battalions started work by October 1992. More units joined in 1994, and five more battalions got approval in 2017.
On 7 October 2003, in its eleventh year, the RAF received the President's Colour from the then Deputy Prime Minister L. K. Advani. The President's Colour is one of the highest honours a unit can receive. Ten years later, on 9 November 2013, the RAF Academy of Public Order was opened in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, to train personnel in handling crowds and public order.
The CRPF describes the RAF as a "zero-response force." This means it is built to reach a crisis in very little time and help people feel safe again. The CRPF Rapid Action Force handles communal riots, mob violence, crowd control, and law-and-order duty during elections and big gatherings. It also carries out rescue and relief work during natural disasters, and trains male and female teams for United Nations peacekeeping missions.
The force is led by an Inspector General based in New Delhi. It has 15 special battalions, numbered 83, 91, 97, 99 to 108, 114 and 194 in the CRPF. Each battalion is headed by an officer of the rank of Commandant. The RAF battalions are posted in states including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.
The smallest unit of the force is a team led by an Inspector. Each team has separate groups for riot control, tear smoke and fire. Every company has one team made up of women personnel to deal with situations involving women protesters.
RAF personnel wear a blue camouflage uniform, and the blue stands for peace. The force also has its own flag with the same meaning. Its motto is "Serving Humanity with Sensitive Policing."
In more than three decades of service, the RAF has been sent for riot control and cordon duty during major incidents, including the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. It has also helped people after cyclones, floods and earthquakes. The greetings on this year's Rapid Action Force Raising Day show how important the force still is for India's internal security. It steps in quickly and carefully whenever public peace is in danger.
