'Rifle Women' deployed for first time in Kashmir!

Srinagar, Aug 5: For the first time, the Indian Army has deployed 'rifle women' of Assam Rifles in Kashmir along the Line of Control (LoC) stated the Assam Rifles. It also stated that women officers who are deployed on duty for the first time in Kashmir have managed to make a "positive impact on the local populace", within a few days.

 

 

"Women soldiers of #AssamRifles deployed for the first time in Kashmir make a positive impact on the local populace in a matter of days. Smiling faces of locals is a testimony of professionalism of the Riflewomen of Assam Rifles," the Assam Rifles tweeted. The 'Rifle Women' is a unit of the Assam Rifles which the oldest paramilitary force of India.

 

 

To assist the Army, a platoon of ‘Rifle Women’ had now been deployed there. The nine 'rifle women' of this platoon, under the leadership of a female captain of the Indian Army, will search each and every vehicle carrying woman passengers which pass through the area. They have also been asked to search these vehicles as they enter the Sadhana Pass lies with the Indian Army. However, often due to the presence of women passengers in civilian vehicles, it is very difficult for the Armed personnel to carry out a thorough search.

 

The deployment of women is important because there are over 40 villages between the Tangdhar and Tithwal areas near the LoC and all vehicles coming from these villages cross the Sadhana Pass to enter other parts of Kashmir. So, the women soldiers have also been asked to check smuggling of narcotics, fake currency and weapons through the Sadhana Pass.

 

The Sadhana Pass is more than 10,000 feet high from the sea level and significantly very close to the Pakistan-Occupied- Kashmir from where Pakistan-backed terrorists make attempts to infiltrate into the Indian side.

 

Meanwhile, the women soldiers are not yet given permission to do combat roles but on the other hand, after the Ministry approved the proposal to grant the Permanent Commission to the women officers, the Indian Army has kickstarted the process to invite applications from them. 10 streams where PC of women officers are being made available include army air defense, signals, engineers, army aviation, electronics and mechanical engineers, army service corps and intelligence corps. Currently, the Army offers a permanent commission to women officers in two branches -- judge advocate general (JAG) and education.