Meet the four new women SHOs of Ghaziabad Police who are aiming to breach ‘male-dominated force’

Ghaziabad has 25 police stations and till now, only the Mahila Thana (Women Police station) was headed by a woman officer.

4 min readGhaziabadUpdated: Jun 26, 2024 06:58 AM IST

With an overall score of 2.6 and an honesty rating of 3, it has ranked the lowest among police stations in the city (Express Archive/Vishal Srivastav)

In a rare move, the Uttar Pradesh Police has posted four women sub-inspectors as Station House Officers (SHO) of different police stations in Ghaziabad with an aim to breach the “male-dominated” force.

“The police station is not like a bank. There is no defined place and no defined working hours,” Ghaziabad Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra told The Indian Express. “It (police station) is male-dominated and there are certain institutional biases.”

Mishra said there are 4,200 police personnel in Ghaziabad. “There are 58 women sub-inspectors and 600 women constables and head constables. Women always have to prove themselves in every role but men are confined to their egos… they feel because they are men, they don’t have to go that extra mile to prove themselves,” he said.

“Since women (police) personnel do not get enough opportunities (in leadership roles), they start avoiding responsibilities. Most of them (women personnel) are confined to administrative work at police offices and headquarters,” Mishra said. “But, if given a chance (on the field) women won’t ever fail. This is from my own experience. Each time, they have fared even better than my expectations.”

Ghaziabad Police, Ghaziabad women Police, Ghaziabad new SHOs, women constable, Indian express news

SHOs Preeti Garg and Ritu Tyagi (Express File Phpto)

Ghaziabad has 25 police stations and till now, only the Mahila Thana (Women Police station) was headed by a woman officer. The posting of the women as SHOs in “general” police stations is, however, new.

The Indian Express spoke to the four women on their priorities in their new role.

Ritu Tyagi, SHO , Mahila Thana

Tyagi, was earlier heading the Pink booth — an exclusive cell in a police station that deals with women-related issues — of Vijayanagar police station. She said she has “solved almost 400 women-related cases at the Pink booth” and now looks forward to this bigger responsibility.

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She was recruited as a constable in 1998. She said she had participated in the All India Republic Parade as a National Cadet Corps cadet in 1993.

Preeti Garg, SHO, Crossing Republic Society police station

“This is a new responsibility and I am thrilled,” she said. “This is a new chapter in my career. Women are getting roles with responsibility.”

Garg said she “will especially look into the matter of cybercrime which is on the rise in Ghaziabad”. “We have young children addicted to drugs and their lives are ruined. I will personally handle such cases,” she added.

Ravita Chaudhary, SHO of Niwari police station

She was earlier in charge of the Pink booth at Muradnagar. She said she would work to bring down the crime rate, especially crimes against women in Niwari.

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Ravita Chaudhary and Preeti Singh. (Express File Photo)

“We will try to solve cases related to crime at our level first. We will also provide women’s counseling here. Niwari does not have a pink booth so I have more responsibility,” SHO Chaudhary said. “I was hopeful but I didn’t expect to be posted as SHO,” she added.

Preeti Singh, SHO of Link Road police station

“Cases of sexual assault against children is my first priority and I will ensure that the chargesheet is filed within seven days,” she said.

“Robbery and snatching cases are rampant on Link Road and solving those cases is also my priority.”

Neetika Jha

Neetika Jha is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in the Noida bureau. She primarily covers crime, health, and environmental issues, as well as human-interest features across Noida, Ghaziabad, and Western Uttar Pradesh. Professional Profile Education: She is an alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Core Beat: Her work focuses on the administrative and social challenges of the NCR's satellite cities. She is known for her detailed reporting on civic infrastructure (like the Noida International Airport), environmental violations, and high-profile criminal investigations. Personal Interests: Outside of reporting, she is an avid reader of fiction (citing The Thursday Murder Club and Yellowface as recent favorites) and a gardening enthusiast. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Neetika’s recent reportage has been dominated by winter-related crises in the NCR and significant criminal legalities: 1. Environment & Public Safety "Greater Noida Authority slaps fines on firms for violating GRAP IV norms" (Dec 21, 2025): Reporting on heavy penalties imposed on major developers like NBCC for flouting anti-pollution construction bans. "Fatal pile-up on Yamuna Expressway: Fog, high speed emerge as key safety risks" (Dec 17, 2025): A major report on a 15-vehicle collision caused by dense fog that killed 17 people. "At Chilla, Kalindi, DND, many fined Rs 20,000 for non-compliance to Delhi's BS-VI rule" (Dec 19, 2025): On-the-ground reporting from the borders where Noida police penalize non-compliant vehicles entering the capital. "Driving in Noida amid fog? New speed limits in effect till Feb 15" (Dec 13, 2025): Detailing the seasonal traffic restrictions aimed at preventing highway accidents. 2. Crime & Legal Developments "'Have you ever heard of a murder case being withdrawn?': Court in Akhlaq lynching case" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering a critical courtroom hearing where the court questioned the UP government's petition to withdraw charges against the accused. "After losing money in stock market, bank employee in Ghaziabad withdraws Rs 64 lakh from customers' accounts" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative piece on internal bank fraud and the risks of modern digital embezzlement. "Woman shot dead by partner in Noida: Three days on, accused still on the run" (Dec 2, 2025): Tracking a high-profile domestic violence and murder case in Central Noida. 3. Human Interest & Features "'Had tears in my eyes': Army men walk bride down the aisle 20 years after father died in terror attack" (Dec 2, 2025): A moving story about soldiers from a Punjab Grenadiers unit fulfilling a father's duty for his daughter. "How a Zepto delivery man heard a cry — and saved two kids dumped in Noida drain" (Dec 2025): A viral human-interest story highlighting individual heroism in the city. Signature Style Neetika is recognized for her meticulous follow-up on local tragedies. Whether it is a massive pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway or the ongoing construction of the Jewar (Noida) Airport, she focuses on systemic lapses and the safety of commuters. Her crime reporting often explores the psychological motives behind "crimes of passion" and the rising trend of financial cyber-fraud in the Ghaziabad-Noida belt. ... Read More

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