In a first, the Gujarat Police deployed an all-women force Saturday for the security of the Lakhpati Didi event, to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at Vansi Borsi in Gujarat’s Navsari.
As over 1.5 lakh women gathered at the venue, around 2,800 female police personnel took charge of security, ensuring the mega event — which coincided with the International Women’s Day — proceeded smoothly.
A source said: “Over 2,800 women police personnel had arrived in Navsari four to five days in advance, under the leadership of Secretary (Home), IPS officer, Nipuna M Torawane to rehearse for the event”.
A woman police constable who had come to Navsari, had left behind her six-month old son, to be part of the esteemed security cover, of which the PM made a special mention during his address.
PM Modi said, “In this large event, the police personnel and officers deployed…all are women, right from constable, inspector, sub-inspector, DSP to top officers… all the security arrangements are being handled by women… this is an example of the capabilities of ‘nari shakti’ (women power)”.
The woman constable from Central Gujarat who has been with the force for three years, told The Indian Express on condition of anonymity, “I have left my six-month-old son with my mother-in-law and have come down to be a part of a team involved in the police bandobast of PM on International Women’s Day”.
“I have been in Navsari for the past four days and we have rehearsed three times. It is for the first time, I have come down for a security bandobast in South Gujarat. My husband works in the private sector and he has also taken leave from his job to take care of our child,” she said, sharing her excitement of “returning home to her child” after the event.
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A total of 2,840 women police officials, including one Deputy Inspector General of Police, five officials of Superintendent of Police rank, 16 Deputy Superintendents of Police, 61 Police Inspectors, 187 Police Sub-Inspectors and 2,145 Police Constables and remaining home guard women jawans were deployed at every point, beginning from the helipad to the canopy and along the route. The women police officials were brought to Navsari from the police stations in Vadodara, Navsari Bharuch, Valsad, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Porbandar, Bhavnagar, Gir Somnath, etc, according to sources.
Some of them were in police uniform while others guarded the venue in plain clothes. The 11 tents set up near the event place for emergencies were also looked after by women police personnel.
A Deputy Superintendent of Police serving in a district in Saurashtra region said, “I have spent over 15 years serving in the police department and this is for the first time, I came to Navsari for a PM Bandobast. In such security arrangements, usually along with the local police, neighbouring district police are also brought. I stayed in Navsari for two days and participated in the rehearsal event. As the event was on International Women’s Day, all the female police staffers of Gujarat were deployed”.
“It was a great experience and honour that the Gujarat Home Department gave us the responsibility of the PM’s event to women. This also shows our competency in handling such kinds of situations,” the officer said, requesting anonymity.
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Director General of Police Vikas Sahay told The Indian Express, “PM sir making a note of it was a big morale booster for them… it boosted their self-confidence, their self-dignity, and was a unique opportunity”.
Almost 22% of the police force of one lakh personnel in all, comprises women, according to Sahay.
“This is the first time that everything was handled by women under Secretary Nipuna Torawane… though of course the district SP and the IG (range) happen to be male officers,” he said.
Interestingly, on Saturday, Gujarat saw heavy VIP movement with Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and Union Minister Amit Shah also attending public events in different parts of the state.
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Meanwhile, Navsari district Police Superintendent of Police Sushil Agrawal said, “It is for the first time in the history of Gujarat, where the responsibility of PM Narendra Modi’s security was given to the women police officers of state. These women officials successfully handled the event and there was not a single complaint from the public or from any of the political leaders.”
He said, “The 2,800 women police officials who had come down to Navsari three days ago were provided accommodation at 20 places which was around 20 km away from the public event venue at Vansi Borsi. We used over 50 police buses to bring them to the event spot. The food and other facilities were also taken care of by us. Medical teams were also deployed at the event venue to attend emergency calls, if any.”