SHILLONG, Jan 14: Fifty-two women commandos were inducted into the elite Special Force Ten or SF-10 of the police, which made Meghalaya the second state to have a women commando unit.
“The Meghashakti Women Commando Warriors of the SF10 are the 1st Women Commando Unit in Meghalaya and 2nd Women Commando Unit in the country. Honoured to be part of their induction ceremony today,” Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said.
He presided over the induction ceremony. Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui was also present.
Later, the CM tweeted, “Our Women are second to none and our Meghashakti Women Commando Warriors of the SF-10 are bridging the gender gap in a male-dominated field. We are inspired by their grit. Congratulations to each of these inspiring women!”
Rymbui said, “This is a beginning as you are aware we have taken the decision that SF-10 will be a lateral entry for the force now. All these women personnel are from different battalions and different streams of the police force. This is the first step and I hope it will continue in the future.”
“This is a part of attending to the needs of the situation. Policing is not very easy. We have to be alert and have a team to deal with any situation that could arise due to law and order or other things,” he added.
On the criticism of the Opposition that the SF-10 unit is thinning due to random transfers of the commandos to tend to other duties and police stations, he said, “I don’t want to reply to anybody’s allegations. We are here to do our job and our job is to see that the force is strengthened as much as possible so that it could meet the needs of the society.”
