Senior IPS officer Sanjukta Parasor has taken charge as Inspector General (IG) of the Central Reserve Police Force’s elite Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), becoming the first woman officer to head the specialised jungle-warfare force.
A 2006-batch Indian Police Service officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, Parasor brings extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations, field policing and national security investigations to the key assignment.
First Woman to Head CoBRA
Parasor’s appointment marks a significant milestone for the CRPF, as she becomes the first woman officer to lead CoBRA since the specialised force was raised.
CoBRA is one of the CRPF’s most highly trained operational formations and is primarily deployed for counter-insurgency and anti-Naxal operations in difficult jungle terrain.
The force consists of specialised battalions whose commandos are trained to operate in challenging environments where conventional policing and security operations can be difficult.
Extensive Counter-Insurgency Experience
Sanjukta Parasor has considerable experience serving in sensitive and challenging assignments, particularly in Assam.
During her career, she has been involved in counter-insurgency operations and field policing in areas affected by militant activity. Her operational experience in the Northeast has given her significant exposure to security challenges involving insurgency and difficult terrain.
Parasor has also served with the National Investigation Agency (NIA), adding experience in investigations related to terrorism and national security to her field background.
Her career has therefore included both operational policing and specialised national security assignments.
What is CRPF’s CoBRA?
CoBRA, short for Commando Battalion for Resolute Action, is a specialised force of the CRPF created to conduct operations in areas affected by Left Wing Extremism and insurgency.
CoBRA commandos undergo specialised training in jungle warfare, guerrilla tactics, intelligence-based operations, long-range patrols, ambush and counter-ambush techniques, survival skills and operations in areas vulnerable to improvised explosive devices.
The units have been deployed extensively in some of the country’s most difficult operational environments, particularly in forested and remote regions affected by Maoist violence.
Historic Appointment
Taking charge as Inspector General of CoBRA places Sanjukta Parasor at the helm of one of the CRPF’s most specialised combat formations.
Her appointment is also a notable milestone for women officers in India’s security forces, with a woman IPS officer assuming leadership of the CRPF’s elite jungle-warfare formation for the first time.
With her background in counter-insurgency operations, field policing and national security investigations, Parasor will now oversee a force specifically trained for some of the country’s most demanding internal-security operations.
