In a first, the CRPF will deploy women in operational roles in the Naxal-affected States even as the paramilitary is all set to increase the strength of the Mahila Battalions.
“We will soon deploy women component in incisive operational duties and will be sending young women companies to most difficult operational areas in the left Wing Extremism areas. Our women can fight Naxals,” CRPF Director General Prakash Mishra said while addressing a curtain raiser Press conference on the 7th National Conference for Women in Police.
On the sidelines of the event, Mishra said two to three companies of the four Mahila Battalions will be imparted six-week pre-induction training before being deployed in the Naxal theatre.
On being asked why are they being assigned the tough roles, the DG said the paramilitary has a large number of women component and there is no point wasting their talent.
“Initially, we will deploy them in relatively less difficult areas like West Bengal and Odisha. After evaluation of their performance, we will decide on increasing the number of such companies in operational roles in the lWE theatre,” Mishra told The Pioneer.
The CRPF, a Central paramilitary force, is for the first time hosting a three-day 7th National Conference for Women in Police. The theme of the conference is “capacity building and leadership” and the sub-themes are “role of women in conflict resolution,” “work and life balance,” “creating gender-sensitive work infrastructure and equipment” and “strategies to handle human trafficking.” Mishra said the CRPF will benefit by hosting the NCWP as there are a large number of women in its ranks.
Chairperson of the conference Vimla Mehra said women are in a minority in the police forces and the aim is to increase their strength in policing, improve working environment of women personnel especially at the lower level.
Recently, border-guarding force Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) had declared that it will post its women personnel in full combat role at its units along the Indo-China border.
The three-day conference, organised by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), will be inaugurated by Home Minister Rajnath Singh at a CRPF camp in Gurgaon near here.