Madhya Pradesh polls: On first such duty, Punjab’s armed women force wins accolades

Sagar Superintendent of Police Abhishek Tiwari told The Indian Express, “The women police personnel from Punjab performed their duty very sincerely and diligently. I would say they were in no way less than the male counterparts of the force. This is for the first time that women police contingent from another State has come to perform election duty.”

As many as 15 companies of armed police force of Punjab went to Madhya Pradesh to perform duties. The four women contingents which went to MP were deployed in Sagar district.

Olympian Avneet Kaur, who is commandant of 27th battalion of Punjab Armed Police and is commanding the four women contingents told over phone, “They have performed their duty really well and in a diligent manner. I am very proud of it. They were deployed on check posts, for area domination and in quick response teams. Local police have been really appreciative of them.”

In Shahgarh, a tehsil in Sagar district where a company of armed battalion of Punjab policemen comprising of 90 personnel has been deployed, sub divisional officer of police (SDOP) Shikha Soni said, “They have been very helpful. They have performed their duty with utmost dedication and sincerity and it was of a great help for smooth conduct of election.”

In fact, Punjab police Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Rakesh Kumar had quite a sense of pride when during a briefing by local police and administration, a local official said that “There is no need to worry now as Punjabis and Sardars (Sikhs) have come on election duty.”

Kumar, who is supervising the armed company of Punjab policemen in Shahgarh said, “The remarks further boosted the morale of our police personnel.”

PAP 82nd battalion commandant Balwinder Singh who is commanding 11 companies of armed policemen from Punjab said, “We will be now going to Rajasthan for election duty. Some of the companies will be taking land route and others will go on train.”

Apart from PAP Battalions, around 250-strong woman constables were drawn from India Reserve Battalions and Commando Battalions as Punjab, for the first time ever, sent a women contingent for an election duty outside the State.

Incidentally, it was first-ever election duty of the women personnel’s career after their recruitment in August 2022 and passing out in September this year after completing their training.

As per PAP Deputy Inspector General (Admn) Inderbir Singh, “This is for the first time that women police personnel from Punjab went for an election duty in another state.”

“And as per my knowledge this is perhaps also for the first time in the country that women police force is going for a poll duty to another state,” he had told The Indian Express before the women contingent embarked upon the train journey from Jalandhar to Sagar.

PAP Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) M F Farooqui, the brains behind the move, had said, “This is the first women contingent of Punjab Armed Police which is going for an election duty outside the state. They are very competent and well-trained. So, we decided to send them for the duty.”

A team of women health officials is also accompanying the women contingent.