Transgender cops in Bastar Fighter Force ready for anti-Maoist operations TNN

Transgender cops deployed with Bastar Fighter Force are up in arms and preparing to combat Maoists in the dense forests. Of the nine transgender cops posted in Bastar division, eight are in Kanker district and are undergoing intense training to brace for the uncertainties during anti-Maoist operations. Kanker police have initiated to put transgender and women cops of Bastar Fighters to give up their gender guards, hold guns, and get onwith the operations.

“It’s high time transgender cops in Bastar Fighter Force should be done with sentry duties at camps and police stations. They were recruited for fighting Maoist and they should fight. They are also willing to go on operations and we are willing to impart training and send them on trial,” Kanker SP Indira Kalyan Elsela told TOI. After being selected in 2022-23 in one of the historic initiatives of inducting transgender persons into police department, Divya Nishad, Seema Pradhan and Saanu were among 21 transgender personnel posted in different parts of Bastar region. Divya, 25, who has got a chance before to go on an anti-Naxalite operation and was otherwise stationed at police station as guards or for patrols, told TOI, “ I am excited as we are undergoing trainings on how to stay in forests overnight, and carry heavy bags on back.”

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 Carrying an INSAS, she said, “I am honing my firing skills and learning to strike a non-verbal communication in the stillness of the forest.” “When I went out on operation with Border Security Force personnel about two months back in Abuhjmarh forests, I felt the fear of death on each step. One could be fired at or step on an underground IED anytime.

There was a lot of walking, the jawans were careful with me. But now onwards, I will be more careful than any other person,” Divya said. Her colleague Himanshi, another transgender cop had crossed 3-4 hills on foot with security forces during a search operation. “It is thrilling to be part of anti-Naxal operation and we have come beyond the question of being accepted or not because ‘gasht ke waqt’ (during search) male-female-transgender are all same. Initially, I felt a bit shy in expressing that need to pee, but now, ‘taking a cut’ (sneaking out) I relieve myself in forest and join the troops,” Seema Pradhan said. SP Elsela said that during his earlier postings in Bastar, he used to take along women commandos in the operations.

He said that there will be times when the transgender cops will have to halt at night in jungles, stay at security barracks in camps in remote regions and they are being trained to face the drill. “The idea is that they were recruited under Bastar Fighters, so they know what they have enrolled for. Women proved to be fierce fighters in the past and have been strong in countering allegations of molestation as they deal with women cadres,” Elsela said.

Currently first batch of 34 cops are under training in handling GPS, wireless sets, weapon handling and small operations including trekking. Training is being imparted by DRG commanders and policemen. Speaking about the gender preference of transgender cops, Bastar range inspector general of police P Sundarraj said that during the posting, their preference of male/female barracks and washrooms to be used are asked and 7/23/24, 2:51 PM Transgender cops in Bastar Fighter Force ready for anti-Maoist operations –

“Their preferences are taken care of, when at police stations, camps or barracks,” he said adding that in the forest, everything is the same for all. Eight transgender cops are posted in Kanker district and there are total 90 women in Bastar Fighters in Kanker.

Courtesy:  Times of India

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