A contingent of CRPF women commandos is ready to be deployed in the security of ‘Z’ plus category VIPs like Union Home Minister Amit Shah, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, his wife Gursharan Kaur, and the Gandhi family. This is the first batch comprising of 32 female combatants that have completed their training in VIP security.
This is the first time CPRF will deploy women commandos for VIP security, as per reports.
They have recently undergone 10-weeks of training in unarmed combat, special weapon firing, body frisking etc. In September, the Ministry of Home Affairs had given go-ahead to deploy women security personnel for VVP security. These trained 32 commandos were picked based on nominations. For the first batch, the CRPF had received 54 nominations, out of which 32 were selected. The women’s ranks are from constable to sub-inspector.
They are likely to be deployed for the security of Delhi-based Z plus protectees from January 15 onward. These commandos will be initially deployed at the residence of the protectees as part of the house protection team. They will frisk female visitors and they will carry ballistic protection, arms, and gadgets like any male combatant.
Given the small size of the contingent, five to six commandos will be attached to each protectee. There is a chance that these women commandoes will be deployed with female protectees like Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during their election campaigns.
Assembly elections of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa are scheduled the next year.
CRPF is the second-largest provider of VIP security
CRPF provides security to as many as 78 central protectees, including 11 women. Out of these 11 protectees, three are accorded ‘Z’ plus category security namely Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and ex-PM Manmohan Singh’s wife Mrs Gursharan Kaur.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has the largest components of VIP security which provides security covers to 175 persons.
However, out of 3.25 Lakh personnel in the CRPF, the number of women soldiers are 6,000. But the CRPF has the distinction of the only paramilitary force in the Country which has six Mahila Battalions. CRPF’s women commandoes are also deployed in Naxal infested areas.