Once Maoists, these women from Chhattisgarh are now part of the police force
The sixth platoon of the ‘Danteshwari Ladake’ of the district reserve guard, in Dantewada of Bastar region in Chhattisgarh, has enlisted 30 women Maoists who have surrendered.
The Chhattisgarh police have inducted surrendered Maoists into the security forces to form six platoons. Of these, five comprise of men, while the sixth platoon has 30 women, including Maoists who have surrendered.
These platoons, part of the district reserve guard, are known as ‘Danteshwari Ladake’, and are led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Dineshwari Nand. The force, stationed in the jungle area of Malangir in the state.
A women’s commando unit of Chhattisgarh Police comprising former Maoist fighters. Image Credit: HT PHOTO
Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava told Hindustan Times:
"We are motivating women Naxals to surrender and join mainstream force through this unit and secondly trying to help surrendered women cadres to get a job in police and thus facilitate their proper rehabilitation and reintegration in society.”
Named after Goddess Danteshwari, the women’s platoon of the reserve guard began training at the Kanker Jungle Warfare College in December last year, and finished in March. The reserve guard team comprises of some people from local tribes, surrendered Maoists, and former special police officers.
Abhishek told the Hindustan Times,
“We have given them special training regarding tactics and warfare and till now they are very effective in swift short action teams. The important part is these commandos can easily camouflage themselves as villagers in civil dress or wear sarees like villagers.”
The training of the task force included bike riding, and handling advanced weapons, the News Bharati reports.
Image Credit: News X
Speaking to The Logical Indian, Dineshwari says, “Female commandos are no less efficient than their male colleagues, and the team would bring honour to the Bastar police.”
According to officers from the Chhattisgarh police Intelligence unit, the reserve force can also be used in gathering human intelligence.
“Most of the intelligence sources in this area are women and hence this platoon can be very effective,” an intelligence officer told the Hindustan Times.
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