These Women Will Now Combat Maoists In Bengal And Jharkhand

Lalgarh, West Bengal: All these years the battles against Maoists in Jharkhand and West Bengal have been fought by men from the Central Reserve Police Force or CRPF. Now that is going to change.

CRPF has got a new battalion, the 232 Women's Battalion. It is the fourth women's unit in the force but the first to be deployed in active combat. NDTV visited Jahrgram and Lalgarh in West Bengal and spoke to the members.

"By wearing this uniform we have created a separate identity and we are really proud. If the CRPF has selected us amongst all the women in India there must be something in us. And there is nothing better than serving the country," said Suman Kumari, a member of the 232 Women's Battalion.

Another member Veena Kumari said, "They say your daughter comes home very less and stays away from the family a lot. I tell them I have a family here and a family there. My parents tell them she has to stay away as she is serving the country."

These women have been trained for 44 weeks in jungle warfare, unarmed combat and smart weapons firing. They have been trained to negotiate dense forests and rivers so that they are capable of tackling every obstacle that they may face while fighting Maoists. They have been deployed in the 'company formation' style, which means about 100 personnel at one time.  

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"We did not compromise on the training standards. The benchmarks were as stringent. We had to keep them ready for combat in these areas. So, I think they are geared up. Both psychologically and physically," Sudeep Lakhtakia, Additional Director General (Operations) told NDTV.

The women's battalion is operating from active CRPF bases and undertaking area dominating exercises in the region.

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Locals in the area have welcomed the move. "We can speak to the women freely. That is why it is better. We can tell the women what we cannot tell the men," said Shakti Das, a resident of Lalgarh who has witnessed the time when Maoists had control over the area.

The ultimate test of gender equality in the military or the Central Armed Police forces is whether women are inducted into active combat roles or not. For the CRPF it's a proud moment as the 232 Women's battalion takes on the mantle of fighting Maoists in Jharkhand and West Bengal.