The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is in the process to induct women warriors of the force into its elite CoBRA Battalion to engage in the fight against the Maoists -- the first of such kinds of initiatives taken in the Maoist warfare duties.

Outgoing CRPF Director General A P Maheshwari, who is to retire on 28 February, made the announcemet while addressing the media in his first interaction during the Covid crisis.

"We are inducting women warriors in the CoBRA force, the anti-Naxal wing," Maheshwari said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had accorded approval for setting up of sanction of 10 unattached battalions of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) for guerrilla and jungle warfare type operations for dealing with extremists and insurgents.

Two Battalions of CoBRA force were raised in 2008-09. In 2009-10, the number of the Battalion was increased to four. Later, four more Battalions of the force were raised in 2010-11.

This is the first time when women are being inducted into the CoBRA force.

Currently, the 3.25 lakh strong Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), have 246 Battalions that include 208 executive, six women, 15 RAF, 10 CoBRA, five Signal, one Special Duty Group and one Parliament Duty Group.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)