SRINAGAR: In a bid to strengthen the anti-narcotics squad across border, the Army for the first time has started to recruit women officers along with the canine brigade.
A senior Army officer deployed in Kashmir said, “The anti-narcotics grid has been strengthened with women soldiers, dogs and X-ray machines.”
He said that that earlier they were not able to take any action against women even after getting confirmed inputs on ‘women courier’ but with the deployment of women soldiers this has now become possible.
Riflewoman Nitu Kumar from Bihar said, “Women feel free to share their issues and our children are inspired to see us in uniform.”
The women soldiers have braced up for approaching winters at 10,000 feet at the Sadhna Pass which is the only connection to the bowl of Tangdhar.
Riflewoman H Wanjen Konyek said, “We faced the challenge of being the first to be deployed in this area. ”Konyek is from Nagaland and is the senior most of the woman soldiers.Narcotic smuggling has been an important method to finance the militants."
Army said that the women soldiers were able to seize 80-kg of narcotics, mostly brown sugar in Tangdhar sector.