Once against country, now for country: 10 former Maoists join Chhattisgarh's first women commando unit

Raipur, May 8: Once they picked up arms against the country but now they are picking arms for the country. The Chhattisgarh police have for the first time recruited 30 surrendered women Maoists into a commando unit in Dantewada of Bastar region and have deployed them in Malangir.

 

“We have recruited 30 local tribal women and made a separate DRG platoon for women commandos. In Dantewada, there are five male platoons of DRG and this women platoon is the sixth one. The women recruited are surrendered Maoists cadres and wives of surrendered cadres. The platoon is led by women DSP Dineshwari Nand,” said SP Dantewada Abhishek Pallava.

The specially-raised squad, "Danteshwari Ladake", or fighters of Goddess Danteshwari, was inducted in the state's Maoist-hit Dantewada district, around 400km from Raipur.

"The first-of-its-kind platoon of women DRG commandos has been raised. Of the 30 recruits, 10 are surrendered women Maoists, while 10 others are assistant constables who were part of the erstwhile Salwa Judum (anti-Maoist militia) movement," Pallava said.

Pallava further said that women commandos are deployed by Chhattisgarh police and paramilitary forces in the region but for the first time the commandos are being used in full-fledged operations in the area.

“We have given them special anti-Maoist training regarding tactics and warfare and till now they are very effective in swift short team action teams. The important part is these commandos can easily camouflage themselves as villagers in civil dress or wear sarees like villagers,” said the SP.