13 Assam women in SWAT team for PM’s security at Red Fort on I-Day

At a time when a section of people of Northeast feel alienated from the mainstream India, New Delhi has constituted an all-women Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team to be appointed as the VVIP's security including the Prime Minister at the Red Fort on August 15.

After rigorous training of around 15 months from specialists all across India and abroad, 36 women commandos from the northeastern states have been inducted into this squad. While 13 members are from Assam, 5 from Arunachal Pradesh, 5 from Sikkim, 5 from Manipur, 4 from Meghalaya, 2 from Nagaland and 1 from Mizoram and Tripura, each.

Making Silapathar proud, Sobha Bhandari has been able to clinch a spot amid the team. A former student of Demow College, Bhandari joined Delhi Police on 2015.

Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik is the mastermind behind the idea of SWAT team.

Patnaik said, "The team is ready to take on hostage crises and terror strikes in urban areas. The members of this all-women SWAT team received better ratings at the Police Training College in Jharoda Kalan than their male counterparts."

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh formally inducting the unit on Friday said that the women commandos will be deployed at Red Fort and India Gate during Independence Day celebrations.

The all-women being are second to none when it comes to tackling any untoward terror attack situation are armed with MP5 submachine guns and Glock 21 pistols, all the members of the force are also well-versed in Israeli Krav Maga, an unarmed combat style.

Members of this team are experts in building interventions, counter ambush and VVIP security, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) (Special Cell) Pramod Kushwaha.