The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which also handles VIP security, will soon have 32 women commandos ready to be deployed in the security detail of some leaders.
The move means that Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s wife Gursharan Kaur, will have women deployed as personal security officers in their security detail.
“In 2019, we started a VIP security wing and initially it had only men. However, we started training women to be part of the team and now the women will be posted with the VIPs by the second week of January,’’ said a spokesperson of the paramilitary force which took over VIP protection responsibilities in 2019, when a change in law limited the Special Protection Group or SPG to only providing security for the Prime Minister or for former prime ministers and their families for a maximum of five years.
The spokesperson confirmed that the women personnel would be attached to the three women but “on a need basis’’ but added that will be deployed with other Z+ category protectees.
“The Congress president and Ms Gandhi Vadra had not asked for women personnel because they believe in the professionalism of the force.’’ said the party’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.
{{/usCountry}}“The Congress president and Ms Gandhi Vadra had not asked for women personnel because they believe in the professionalism of the force.’’ said the party’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.
{{/usCountry}}When the SPG cover was removed two years ago, the Congress objected to what it saw as petty politics. The SPF cover did have women officers.
When a VIP is travelling, it’s the state government which is responsible for their security but the immediate security to their person is provided by CRPF. Each VIP protectee has five to seven guards and so this election season may see the inclusion of women in this detail.
These commandos, when deployed for house protection, will frisk female visitors and will be part of the overall security detail of the VIP’s house during tours. The women commandos, like their male counterparts, will carry arms, ballistic protection and other gadgets as required on the job.