Armed
Battalions-A Brief History
In
1941,
the
British
raised
a
contingent
of 1000
men as ‘
Additional Police’ to assist the Civil
police. After
partition,
the
Hqrs.
of
this
force
shifted
from
Lahore
to Jalandhar Cantt and it was
re-designated as the "Punjab Armed
Police" (PAP). Post
independence,
Punjab
Armed
Police
performed
Indo-Pak
border
policing. After Chinese
Invasion (1962) – 37 Punjab
Armed
Police
Battalions
raised. In 1966, at
trifurcation of Punjab, 32 Bns.
amalgated
in
BSF, CRPF, SSB, Haryana Armed Police
& Himachal Pradesh Armed Police. Only
5 Battalions were left
with Punjab Armed
Police
in Punjab. 33rd Punjab Armed
Police Battalion raised in
1988 ; trained and
designated as 1st Commando Battalion.
Later 4 more Commando
Battalions & in
1993 five India Reserve
Battalions were raised. Two more
India
Reserve Battalions
raised in 2005 At present Armed
Police has 20 Battalions. (
8-Punjab
Armed
Police, 5- Commando &
7- India Reserve Battalions)
