Friday, January 18, 2013

580 women police officers with SLR (self-loding rifle) in the Bihar Military Police's first women battalion Passing out parade in Patna.

http://images.jagran.com/women-police-b-14-1-2013.jpg

MinkuKumari on Thursday wore a light make up, applied a light shade on lips and had neatly-plucked eyebrows for the day. It was a memorable day for her as she got ready in khaki trouser and shirt, cap, white gloves, ankle boots and a self-loading rifle (SLR). Minku, from Belaganj in Gaya district, is one of the 580 members of Bihar Military Police's first woman battalion.


At Gandhi Maidan, there was an impressive and colourful passing out parade of the battalion, divided into 19 platoons, in the backdrop of the music played by the brass band. Chief minister Nitish Kumar, who had conceived the idea of an all-woman battalion six years ago, was there to take the salute and wish the trained personnel. He said, "It is a solid step towards women empowerment, particularly at a time when there is a real concern over women's security all over the country."

Like Minku, who did MSc in zoology from Magadh University, there are 44 among the 580 who are postgraduate, while 230 are graduates. Instead of pursuing any other profession, they preferred to don khaki and carry weapon. "I wanted to serve the society and the nation and to show that girls should not lag behind boys. Now in this service, I am ready to go anywhere I am asked to," said Minku, whose husband Ritesh Kumar is in Army and posted in Bareilly. "He gave me liberty to choose any career," she said.

Priyanka Bharti of Hilsa in Nalanda district said she wanted a career in police since childhood and her parents supported her. A graduate from Hilsa College, she said she ignored adverse comments of people. Her mother Shyamwati Devi and father Suresh Pandey, a teacher in girls school, said that relatives and friends did not favour her joining the force but "we always supported her."

The women underwent 14-month-long rigorous training at Sasaram and then arms training at Begusarai. "This is the first time that an all-woman battalion has been raised and they are ready to take up responsibilities, including law and order and anti-Naxal operations," said DGP Abhyanand.

"It is a pride moment for the BMP," said ADG, BMP, Abhay Kumar Upadhyaya. He said the state cabinet had approved formation of this battalion in 2006 and recruitment was made in 2011. Then they were sent for training to BMP camps at Sasaram, Dehri, Katihar and Begusarai, where they were trained by commandants.

Impressed with the attractive parade, Nitish said the role of women in police force has widened with the opening of women police stations in each district. He was also impressed with the educational qualification of the women and advised the DGP to utilize their educational and mental ability too, adding he would welcome any proposal to this effect from the police headquarters.

The CM took this opportunity to say that he had introduced training of judo and karate for girl students in schools, and over a lakh girls had already been given training.







source; TOI

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