Over 89,000 Himachal girls given combat training

To keep a strict check on crimes against women in the hill state, the Himachal Pradesh police, under a new initiative, have imparted training in martial arts to over 89,000 girls.

To keep a strict check on crimes against women in the hill state, the Himachal Pradesh police, under a new initiative, have imparted training in martial arts to over 89,000 girls.

Girls practising self defence in Shimla on Sunday. (HT Photo)

Under the government’s decade-old Samarth Yojana, school and college-going girls have been trained to deal with any untoward situation, thereby instilling confidence in them.

“The state has witnessed less number of crimes in the past three years,” said the government spokesperson.

He added that under the state government’s initiative of empowering girls, over 89,653 girls from several schools and colleges were given unarmed combat (UAC) training by the state police last year. For this, three women police stations were set up in Shimla, Dharamsala and Mandi. There is a proposal to open similar stations in Baddi and Kullu in 2016; more such stations will also be opened in all district in a phased manner.