Breaking the shackles, around 200 women have joined as ‘rifle women’ in Assam Rifles (AR).
The AR is a paramilitary establishment officered by the Indian Army.
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The force is responsible for guarding the border with Myanmar and carrying counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast region.
Their presence has smoothened the functioning of the security forces in the sensitive locations as they have effectively dealt with the local women population.
The force was facing huge difficulty in the search of vehicles carrying women passengers at the border areas.
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Now, this has been effectively being dealt with by the Rifle Women. They look out for drugs, narcotics, arms and ammunition.
Rifle Woman Jagriti, currently deployed with 3 Assam Rifles in Mizoram, carries out patrolling along the Indo-Myanmar border where drugs and arms are being pushed in by insurgent groups supported by China.
Jagriti is from Aravalli district of Gujarat and has completed four years of service.
“Earlier, I was deployed in Nagaland and Jammu and Kashmir and took part in counter-insurgency operations,” Jagriti said.
She said that throughout her childhood, she saw her uncle in uniform.
Jagriti is carrying out a patrol in inhospitable terrain near the Myanmar border.
She feels elated as she is treated at par with riflemen in the force.
Her battalion has 16 women doing all duties assigned to them. She is part of border guarding at a time when there is an influx of people from Myanmar crossing the borders after a coup in the country.
Another Rifle woman Lucy Ramtharmawi, who was selected in 2017, said she goes for patrolling at forwarding locations as and when required.
Hailing from Manipur’s Churachandpur district, she was inspired to wear the uniform seeing other people living near her native place joining the Indian Armed Forces.
“I am also deployed at mobile vehicle check posts and carry out checking of suspected local female members involved in contraband smuggling.”
Similarly, Sophie Vanlalhmangaihi from Mizoram is deployed at forwarding locations in Jammu and Kashmir these days.
She was engaged in checking the smuggling of narcotics, fake currency and weapons through the Sadhana Pass in Jammu and Kashmir.