The passing out parade of Bihar Military Police woman battalion in Patna on January 17, 2013. Telegraph picture

The first woman battalion of Bihar Military Police is all set to take on Maoists and those involved in organised crime.

The state police headquarters has approved the deployment of the women personnel of the battalion in Naxalite-hit as well as crime-prone districts.

Sources in the headquarters said the personnel of the seven companies of the battalion would be deployed in Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Purnea and Bhagalpur, besides a few other districts under the Patna zone. They would work in tandem with the personnel of the District Armed Police (DAP).

The battalion, based at Sasaram in Rohtas district, has 580 personnel. They were formally inducted in the force after a passing-out parade in Patna in January. About 30 other recruits are still undergoing training. They would become part of the state’s elite force after completion of a 14-month training.

Inspector-general (operations) Amit Kumar said the process of deployment of the seven companies of the BMP’s woman battalion has started.

“They have been drafted for their field duty in both Naxalite-hit as well as in crime-prone districts. Now, it is on the superintendents of police to make the optimal use of the highly trained force,” he added.

Kumar, who is in charge of the anti-Naxalite cell at the headquarters, said the members of the battalion were assigned field duty for the first time.

“They have been deployed according to the requirement of the districts facing threat from the Maoists,” he told The Telegraph.

The battalion’s commandant, Mohammad Rehman, said the police have been trained to handle sophisticated weapons like carbines, AK 47, Insas rifles, self-loading rifles and landmines.

“They will be able to take part in any operation like their male colleagues in the force,” he said.

The Bihar government has identified about half of the state’s districts as Maoist-hit.

“Since the Maoists have employed women as squad members, who are engaged in operations against security forces, we can also use members of the woman battalion to counter them,” said newly appointed Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaj. Maharaj, who served for over two years as SP in the Naxalite-hit Rohtas before being elevated to the post of Patna SSP last week, said Maoists have employed women in large number recently.

“The women rebels have been imparted training to handle all kinds of weapons,” he said.

Muzaffarpur SSP Saurabh Kumar said the woman battalion have been created to counter their rebel counterparts.

“The women personnel have joined only a few weeks ago. They were earlier assigned law and order duty. Now, they would be used in special operations, be it against the Maoists or against the gangs involved in organised crime.”