CRPF to celebrate 40th anniversary of first all-women battalion

The CRPF will commemorate the 40th anniversary of its first all-women battalion on September 25 in New Delhi. The force, which now has six women-only battalions and over 10,000 women personnel, will felicitate serving and veteran women personnel

New Delhi: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will mark the 40th anniversary of the raising of its first all-women battalion with a special commemorative event, officials said on Tuesday.

The first such unit was raised on February 6, 1986. The force now has six all-women battalions.

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The event will be held at the campus of the 88th ‘Mahila Battalion’ here on September 25, where CRPF Director General G P Singh, along with his wife, president of the force’s family welfare association, will felicitate veteran and serving women personnel, officials said.

The force also has women personnel in its special units, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), besides female personnel in its other regular units.

The CRPF has more than 10,000 women personnel across its ranks.

Women personnel of the force have also received gallantry awards, including Constable Kamlesh Kumari, who was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra for thwarting the 2001 terrorist attack on Parliament.

Constable Vimla Devi was awarded the Sena Medal, while Lance Naik Rajwanti Devi received the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card for playing a “critical” operational role with the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka in 1988.

Constable Bindu Kumre received a gallantry medal for displaying “exemplary” bravery during the Srinagar Airport terrorist attack in 2001, according to official records.

The CRPF, with about 3.25 lakh personnel, is the country’s leading internal security force, it is primarily deployed for internal security duties, including anti-Naxal operations, counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir and anti-insurgency operations in the northeastern states.