Sanjukta Parashar Becomes First Woman to Head CRPF’s CoBRA Unit

Guwahati: The Senior IPS officer Sanjukta Parashar has been appointed Inspector General (IG) of the CRPF’s elite jungle warfare unit, the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), becoming the first woman to head its 10-battalion formation.

A 2006-batch IPS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, Parashar will succeed 1996-batch IPS officer Danesh Rana. The CRPF headquarters issued the appointment order last week.

Parashar has previously served with the NIA and held several key positions in Assam. Her appointment is considered significant given her extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations, field postings and national security investigations.

CoBRA was raised in 2008-09 and is specially trained for jungle and guerrilla warfare, counter-insurgency operations and operations against Left Wing Extremism. Its personnel are trained in long-range operations in dense forests, ambushes, IED threats and intelligence-based operations.

Two CoBRA units were recently deployed in Manipur amid heightened tensions.

In another appointment, 2003-batch IPS officer V K Birdi has been named IG of the CRPF’s VIP Security Wing. He will replace Sunil Joon, who has been posted to the force’s Officers’ Academy in Gurugram.

Parashar’s appointment marks a significant milestone for women officers in India’s security forces.

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