Danteshwari Ladake: Surrendered Women Maoists Join Commando Team In Chhattisgarh

Raipur: As a unique initiative, the Chhattisgarh Police has recruited 30 surrendered women Maoists into a women commando unit in Dantewada of Bastar region and deployed them at Malangir in Darbha division.

This platoon of district reserve guard (DRG) named as “Danteshwari Ladake” (Danteshwari fighters) have been recruited to encourage women Maoists to join mainstream forces,

The DRGs are the front line fighters in Bastar and the recruits are mainly local tribals, surrendered Maoists and former members of special police officers.

“We have recruited 30 local tribal women and made a separate DRG platoon for women commandos. In Dantewada, there are five male platoons of DRG and this women platoon is the sixth one. The women recruited are surrendered Maoists cadres and wives of surrendered cadres. The platoon is led by women DSP Dineshwari Nand,” said SP Dantewada Abhishek Pallava.

Pallava further said the DRGs have been given special anti-Maoist training regarding tactics and warfare and till now they are very effective in swift short team action teams. He revealed that these commandos can easily camouflage themselves as villagers in civil dress or wear sarees like villagers.

Police say that these commandos are effective as women Maoists outnumber men in Bastar especially in Malangir area committee of Darbha division.

“We are motivating women Naxals to surrender and join mainstream force through this unit and secondly trying to help surrendered women cadres to get a job in police and thus facilitate their proper rehabilitation and reintegration in society,” Dantewada SP Abhishek Pallava added.

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