Chhattisgarh lines up women commandos to battle Maoists in Bastar amid accusations of rape

The focus on all-female battalion comes amid accusations of male commandos sexually assaulting women as well as violating human rights while on missions to fight Maoists.

Published on: Aug 5, 2017, 07:28:52 IST

Hindustan Times, Raipur | By Ritesh Mishra

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Chhattisgarh police have turned to 32 women to protect their reputation and also take the fight to Maoists lording over pockets of Bastar region.

Woman commandoes in a training session. (File Photo)

The 32 are constables who underwent rigorous training as commandos in Bijapur district, about 422km south of state capital Raipur, in Bastar.

They will be the first batch of woman commandos of Chhattisgarh police to be deployed for operations in Bastar, where security forces have lost hundreds of personnel to Maoist ambushes and also faced accusations of rights violations, including sexual violence.

Incidentally, allegations of brutal rights violations in Bijapur district two years ago earned security forces the wrath of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The rights body stated in a report there was prima facie evidence that security forces raped and sexually assaulted 16 tribal women during a five-day operation in October 2015. The operation was reportedly carried out by state police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

“The primary motive for this women’s unit in Bastar is to protect the security forces from Maoist propaganda of rape charges,” DM Awasthi, Chhattisgarh’s special director general of police (Naxal operations), told HT.

“Bijapur will be the first district to have women commandos for anti-Maoist operations. Soon, such teams will be formed in all seven districts of Bastar,” he added.

Awasthi said many of the 32 commandos knew the local dialects of tribals and their presence will be reassuring for women of villages during operations.

Police insisted this was not a mere public relations exercise in the fight against Maoists, who are known for letting their women guerrillas lead reconnaissance missions and even ambush operations.

Sunderraj P, deputy inspector general of police, Bastar, said, “This is the first time state police will send women commandos inside jungles to fight Maoists and we are hoping for positive results. I believe it will strengthen our operations in Bastar.”

Though the women commandos for Bastar will be a novelty for the state police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) stamped its presence in this respect in 2016 when it posted assistant commandant Usha Kiran in the Maoist hotbed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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