. : Between Us : .: 2011

Monday, October 3, 2011

India Got Its First Woman Soldier

Sapper Shanti Tigga, a 35 year old single mother of two becomes the first woman jawan on 3 October, 2011. She joined the 969 Railway Engineer Regiment of Territorial Army (TA).

Previously, Shanti was working with the Indian Railways as points-man. She was posted in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district at Chalsa Station. She volunteered for the TA in 2010.

Shanti dreamt of joining the army, wear the olive green uniform and fire guns were fulfilled.

"Women are allowed to join the armed forces only as officers in the non-combat units. But Tigga has earned a unique distinction of being the first lady jawan in the 1.3 million strong defence forces," a senior army officer said.

Woman were only recruited in the joined the army as officers in the non-combat units. However, that could hardly deter Shanti’s perseverance.

Shanti out performed her male counterparts in the physical tests. "She performed exceedingly well in all the physical tests. She took five seconds less than her male counterparts to complete a 1.5 km run. She completed the 50 meter run in 12 seconds which is rated as excellent," the officier continued.

During her Recruitment Training Camp (RTC), she was the top marksman and her overall performance resulted in her being adjudged as the best trainee.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Security Snip

Extra vigil along Indo-Bangla border

The Border Security Force (BSF) kept extra vigilance along the Indo-Bangla border. Ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka in the second week of September, BSF special Director General (East) V N Rai, who is based in Kolkata, was on a five-day tour of Barak Valley in Assam and areas of Mizoram bordering Bangladesh. The senior BSF official's visit to the area took off on 28 July.

Sources reports that Rai, was on a familiarisation tour of Mizoram, Assam and Manipur. The security official visit was significant in view of the Indian Prime Minister's September 6 visit to the neighbouring country along with five chief ministers of the region.

It may be recalled that in May 2010, the Government of Mizoram and the BSF were understood to have discuss deployment of more BSF personnel in Indo-Bangladesh border area to check infiltration and clandestine movement of contraband goods.

An official statement from Aizawl on August 22, said the Prime Minister would visit the neighbouring Bangladesh, which shares a 318-km-long international border with Mizoram, on September 6 and 7 for which he extended a formal invitation to Lalthanhawla, the CM of Mizoram. In the statement Singh said, “Your presence in the trip would show India’s sincerity to have co-operation in different sectors to the government and the people of Bangladesh.”

India as always has wanted to have a cordial bilateral relationship with Bangladesh.

Home Minister held internal security meeting

Home Minister Chidambaram held a security review meeting on September 8, after a bomb blast in one of the entrance of the Delhi High Court which killed 12 people and injured 91. Besides the National Security Advisor, Shiv Shankar Menon the meeting was attended by officials of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIA), Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB).

Mumbai airports on alert

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport in Mumbai has been put on high alert after a warning that terrorists may be planning to attack the airport. Intelligence agency of the Maharashtra government warns that small planes may be hijack in the attempt. Small planes or helicopters are put under strict surveillance by the security agencies.

Coastal security beefed up

The government has also reviewed the coastal security and sounded high alert across the western coast. High security arrangements have been made at the Mumbai beach. Search operations are going in full strength. This has been necessitated by the threat received by the Mumbai airport. It may be recalled that the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack of 2008, popularly called 26/11 had made their entry into the city from the sea.

Conference of DGPs addressed by P. Chidambaram

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram referred to the bomb blast in New Delhi and Mumbai as, “a blot in our record”. This he said while addressing the Director General of Police (DGP) from the different state of the country on 15 September. He argued that India was not the only country affected by terrorism. He said that Af-Pak which is among the top region hit by terrorism is the epicenter of terror. India fight against terrorism has been successful to some extent, while there is lot to be done, he adds.

Cartridges found in abandoned bag

Cartridges of .315 bore and .32 bore pistol were recovered during a security check on the night of 14 September at the Bhasuali bus-stand of Meerut, 450 KM from Lucknow. The cartridges contained in an abandoned bag numbered 690. Preliminary investigations indicate the cartridges were illegally manufactured in Moradabad city of UP and were to be supplied to criminal gangs in the western part of the state.