CRPF plans to induct women in CoBRA commando battalions: DG

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 21

Director General (DG) of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) AP Maheshwari today said the paramilitary organisation had been considering inducting women personnel in its specialised jungle warfare commando force CoBRA.

The government had sanctioned raising 10 Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) units with over 12,000 personnel under the CRPF in 2009 for undertaking intelligence-based jungle warfare operations, a senior official said, adding that troopers inducted in CoBRA units had to meet “tough mental and physical parameters”.

“We are favourably considering inducting women in the CoBRA,” Maheshwari said during a press conference here.

Most CoBRA teams are deployed in various Left-Wing-Extremism (LWE) affected states and a few are based in the North Eastern states under counter-insurgency operations.

The CRPF has had women personnel in combat since 1986 when its first “Mahila” battalion was raised. It has six such units at present.

The CRPF has at present 62 VIPs under its cover, including prominent political and government personalities such as Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh among others.