Karnataka gets first all-woman riot police company

BENGALURU: The state government has approved raising female squads specialising in riot control in the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP). Recruitment of women reserve constables is underway, and the foundation stone for the construction of the first women's barracks will be laid on Friday at the KSRP headquarters in Bengaluru. Currently, there are 11 KSRP battalions and two India Reserve battalions in the state. Each of these battalions has around 1,100 members, all male. KSRP, which traces its origins to the Mysore State Imperial Service, is deployed to assist the civil police to quell riots. Though there was a proposal to induct women constables into the reserve police, it was on the back burner for four years. The proposal was revived recently after analyzing various dimensions of mob behaviour during riots. Additional director general of police T Suneel Kumar said: "The number of women participating in protests has been on the rise. This requires the police to change its strategy while monitoring agitations or containing riots. The male personnel cannot take action against women." During the Mahadayi agitation in north Karnataka in July, armed policemen reportedly stormed houses in three villages in Dharwad district and assaulted women, while pursuing protesters. Video clippings of policemen attacking women went viral and the opposition parties slammed the government for police excesses. During the Cauvery protests in south Karnataka, several women participated and one female rioter was arrested for setting fire to buses belonging to a private travel operator in Bengaluru.