New Delhi:
Paramilitary Central Industrial Security Force said it will deploy a special squad of undercover female commandos trained in martial arts in Delhi Metro to counter harassment in metros.
The operation which has been named "Operation Kali" was launched after it was found that instances of male passengers illegally boarding women coaches were not going down and about 40-50 such cases were being reported everyday.
"We are taking our security operations one step further for providing security to women passengers in the Delhi Metro. We want them to travel safely in this transport system and hence this step. The message is clear to erring passengers that if they do not behave they risk being dealt by our special female commandos," CISF chief Arvind Ranjan told PTI.
The new strategy of deploying these commandos in mufti in train coaches and platform area is codenamed 'Kali', drawing from the martial art technique that these woman have been trained in.
A bunch of chosen women CISF personnel have been trained by the force in a martial-art technique, 'Pekiti-Tirsia Kali' (PTK), which originated decades ago in the Philippines and is
a close-quarter unarmed combat skill used to take on multiple opponents at one time by using obscure objects usually worn on the body.
These women have been trained to tactically use common objects like pen, hairpin, cap, belt, shoe laces, keys and sandals as deadly weapons to take on rogue elements.
"These women commandos will take care of those who undermine women dignity in Delhi Metro and attempt to offend them in any manner," a senior Central Industrial Security
Force (CISF) officer said.
CISF has deployed close to 5,000 men and women personnel for securing the Delhi Metro network which sees close to 26 lakh footfalls a day across the national capital region.
These commandos, who will be deployed according to the sectoral crime profile of the Metro, will respond to any misbehaviour, aggression or violence against woman passengers,
the officer said.
In some cases, these commandos, in the age group of 30-32 years, will also be deployed in uniform but in order to keep the 'surprise element' they largely will be kept undercover.
CISF DG Ranjan said the numbers of such woman commandos will be continuously enhanced in the Metro and at present two batches of these special troopers has been deployed while one is under training