- Rifle Women’ deployed on duty for the first time in Kashmir on national security duty. have within a few days managed to make a positive impact on the local populace, the Assam Rifles said.
- “Women soldiers of Assam Rifles deployed for the first time in Kashmir make a positive impact on the local populace in a matter of days. Smiling faces of locals is a testimony of professionalism of the Riflewomen of Assam Rifles,” the Assam Rifles tweeted.
- According to reports, these women soldiers are from the Assam Rifles and have entered the Indian Army on deputation.
- The deployment of rifle women is important since there are nearly 40 villages between the Tangdhar and Tithwal areas near the Line of Control. All vehicles coming from these villages cross the Sadhana Pass to enter other parts of Kashmir.
- The ‘Rifle Women’ is a unit of the Assam Rifles, the oldest paramilitary force of India.
About Assam Rifles
- The Assam Rifles is the oldest paramilitary force of India. The unit can trace its lineage back to a paramilitary police force that was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar Levy. Since then the Assam Rifles have undergone a number of name changes—the Assam Frontier Police (1883), the Assam Military Police (1891), and Eastern Bengal and Assam Military Police (1913), before finally becoming the Assam Rifles in 1917.
- It is under the control of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and they perform many roles including the provision of internal security under the control of the army through the conduct of counter insurgency and border security operations, provision of aid to the civilians in times of emergency, and the provision of communications, medical assistance and education in remote areas.
- In times of war, they can also be used as a combat force to secure rear areas if needed. Since 2002 it has been guarding the Indo–Myanmar barrier as per the government policy “one border one force”.
