In A First, Women Commandos To Guard VIPs

Initially, the women commandos will be deployed with Z+ category protectees based in Delhi, like Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her children Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi

A maiden contingent of CRPF women commandos trained in VIP security will soon be deployed with Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other high-risk facing personalities for multiple duties, including accompanying them during the upcoming polls in five states, official sources said on Wednesday.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has raised its first-ever contingent of 32 women commandos in its VIP security wing and they will now be tasked to guard its protectees, based in Delhi, who receive the top Z+ cover.

Sources said these women commandos have just completed their 10-week training in rendering VIP security duties, unarmed combat, body frisking and special weapons firing, and will now be deployed on the ground sometime in January.

Initially, the women commandos will be deployed with its Z+ category protectees based in Delhi like Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the first family of Congress that includes party president Sonia Gandhi, her children Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi, and former prime minister Manmohan Singh as well as his wife Gursharan Kaur, they said.

These protectees are also provided with an advanced security liaison protocol due to their high-risk profile.

About a dozen other Z+ category CRPF protectees will have this women commando contingent on a rotational basis, sources said.

The women commandos will be deployed as part of the house protection team of these VIPs and they will also accompany the personalities, if required, during the forthcoming assembly polls in the five states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa.

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. They will provide proximate security to the protectee, especially in the case of Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, sources said.

The women commandos, like their male counterparts, will carry arms, ballistic protection and other gadgets as required on the job.

The Assembly polls in the five states are expected to be held in February-March next year and a hectic political campaign is expected in the run-up to the elections with politicians, party leaders and ministers making whirlwind tours.