Anti-Naxal ops: First women commandos team deployed in jungles

For the first time in the country's history, a special squad of women troops has been deployed deep inside jungles to undertake active and prolonged operations against Naxalites.

With the induction of these CRPF commandos in their trademark camouflaged 'Khaki' uniform, India has become one of those few countries to deploy women personnel in live combat situations in one of the most violent and high threat theatres of conflict.

The country's largest paramilitary force CRPF, top sources said, recently has sent two small squads of its women commandos to fight the red ultras shoulder-to-shoulder with their male colleagues by not only living at the ground locations but also carrying out patrols.

While one contingent is undertaking operations in the worst Naxal-affected area of Bastar in Chhattisgarh, the other has been based at an undisclosed location in Jharkhand.

Sources privy to the development said the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed these two women contingents, of a 'platoon' (about 35 women in each) strength, after creating basic living facilities for them at its locations in these two Maoist violence affected states.

"This is for the first time that women have been deployed in active operations in a high-risk and sensitive area where contact with the enemy is regular and very dynamic. The squads were placed at two locations about a fortnight back and they have begun operating," a source said.

The exact location of these women squads is only known to a handful of commanders and personnel keeping in mind the early days of their induction, the sources said.

Officials say there are specific reasons and operational benefits for deploying these women personnel in LWE areas.

While they can interact with the local women folk which not only helps in gathering good intelligence, it also helps in bringing forces closer to the villagers. A similar model of has been found successful in West Bengal where the Naxal movement is at an all-time low.