Go girls! Delhi Police score a first with NE commandos
For the first time ever, Delhi Police are providing commando training to 40 young women from the Northeast. To become all-rounders, these female commandos have learnt to speak Hindi from their trainers. “This is the first batch from the Northeast [to be trained under Delhi Police]. Generally, we’ve trained girls from Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. Though they’re culturally different, that doesn’t matter when it‘s about commando training,” says Om Prakash Sharma, ACP, Chief Commando Inspector.
These young women, all in the age group of 18-20 years, are new recruits in the Delhi Police force and they’ve already finished their basic one-month course. Sharma, who has been training recruits for the past 10 years, says that these girls requested him to give them advanced training following the basic course — and he has found them to be highly capable. “These Northeastern girls have completely devoted themselves to this commando training,” says Sharma.
Talking about the programme, Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik says, “The selected girls performed so well that the selection committee felt they had the right aptitude and the perfect level of physical fitness to be trained further. Earlier, women didn’t come forward much to participate [in commando training], but now they’re taking on more challenging roles. We want them to represent Delhi Police and feel a part of it.”
These trained female commandos would join anti-terrorism operations.
The selected girls performed so well that the selection committee felt they had the right aptitude and the perfect level of physical fitness to be trained further AMULYA PATNAIK, DELHI POLICE COMMISSIONER
Describing the training, Om Prakash Sharma, ACP, Chief Commando Inspector, says, “Their day starts from 6am. The routine includes various strength-building and other activities till 6pm. Once the commando training is over, these girls will be a part of the Parakram Vans, an initiative taken by Delhi Police against terrorism.”
Wall-climbing, catwalk, high jump, shooting... the Northeastern female recruits do everything with a degree of dedication and athleticism that has amazed trainers at the Police Training Centre, Jharoda Kalan.
“I’ve seen commendable dedication and discipline in these girls. You just need to command them and they’re ready to sweat it out, anytime and anywhere,” says Rekha Yadav, a trainer for the past three years at the centre.
Yadav adds, “The girls are trained in a specific way. For the initial 15 days, we build their stamina and then we expose them to the various exercises to strengthen their individual body parts. Also, they shoot every day with different guns such as AK-47, Glock 17 etc.”
The batch has its own expectations from the training. While some recruits want to join Delhi Police, others aim to go higher and serve the nation. Porimita Sonowal, from Assam, says, “I’ve gone through basic training of a commando but felt that I should go for the advanced version, too. The staff are also very co-operative here. I’d be more than happy to serve Delhi Police once the training is over.”
Kabita Sharma from Sikkim wants to bridge the gap between the two regions: North India and the Northeast. “We’re treated differently at a lot of places within India. It’s because of the minimum participation of Northeasterners in various [aspects] of India. After the training, I’ll join Delhi Police and will try to bridge the gap between the two communities.”
I’ve seen commendable dedication and discipline in these girls... They’re ready to sweat it out, anytime and anywhere REKHA YADAV, TRAINER WHILE SOME RECRUITS WANT TO JOIN DELHI POLICE, OTHERS AIM TO GO HIGHER AND SERVE THE NATION