In less than a year after Gujarat received its first batch of women police constables,the state police will soon have its first batch of women commandos. On the grounds of the Gujarat Police Academy at Karai,on the outskirts of Ahmedabad,31 women in black uniform,lug their 39 mm carbines,leap through flames,climb two-storey-high walls and gingerly hang upside down on monkey ropes. These women were constables in February. Come June 19,they will formally become commandos. They have received the same training as the NSG commandos, said a proud Head Constable K S Pilania,who is training in-charge. In fact,they are being trained mainly to tackle 26/11-style attacks. The training includes more than an hour of physical exercise (including mountaineering,jungle warfare and unarmed combat) and about four hours of lectures and weapons training everyday. All the women are from rural areas. Except for three graduates,the rest of the women have completed school (Class XII). One of the future commandos,Chandrika Ravani,is in fact the first girl from her village to get a government job. With a double graduate degree to her name,she likes the arduous training. Appointment as a commando means a salary increase of about 15 per cent and chances for a better posting. Dhanun Gambir,whose father was also with the Gujarat Police,is hoping for just that. They have shown great enthusiasm during the training. They are very confident, said IG Vinod Kumarmall,the principal of the academy. Kumarmall admitted that he was a little apprehensive in the beginning. But now,I am very very optimistic, he said.
