CRPF inducts 500 women to counter J&K protestors

Breaking yet another glass ceiling, a special contingent of about 500 women CRPF personnel has been brought to Kashmir valley for regular security duties and tackle the unruly crowds and stonepelters, a senior officer of the paramilitary force said.

The women personnel, largely in constable ranks, are based at Central Reserve Police Force recruit training centre in Humhama in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir and are being trained in counter-riot and anti-militancy operations.

“This is the newest theatre of operations where women personnel have been brought in. This is the maiden team of women personnel in the Kashmir valley.,” the officer told PTI. He said the women, after their 45-day induction training and combat-stress inoculation, will be deployed in the valley to tackle stonepelters and protestors.

It was believed that the special anti-riot wing of paramilitary force - the RAF could be brought into the valley to tackle violent protests by civilians and stone-pelting incidents but that was not found feasible, he said.

“It was then decided why not induct women to tackle these situations faced by CRPF units in the valley on a regular basis. These 500 women personnel will be deployed in downtown Srinagar and other parts of the valley very soon,” he said.

The women, according to their training officer Manju K, were now familiarising with the topography of the valley, Srinagar town and are being trained to handle "lesslethal" ammunition and weapons such as rubber bullets, pellet guns, pump-action guns and tear gas shells and PAVA shells, a chilli-based non-lethal munition.

They will also be armed with regular assualt and lethal weapons such as the AK-series rifles and the INSAS so that in case of a terrorist attack they can retaliate, take the opponent down and defend themselves, the training officer said.