KOPPAL: Perhaps for the first time in the Police Department, women constables in the district will be armed with a stronger punch, courtesy a novel initiative by Superintendent of Police Rohini Katoch Sepat.
Most of the women constables below 35 years are undergoing karate training imparted by the coach Mounesh Waddatti.
This exercise was experimented with about two years ago in the Education Department with training imparted to physical education teachers, who in turn had to train girl students.
This is viewed as a sheer necessity for self-defence and efficient discharge of duty in the wake of frequent incidents of eve teasing and assaults on girls.
Of the 35 women constables in the district, 20 are being imparted karate training, said the SP.
Trained constables will teach karate to school girls, she said.
Karate coach Mounesh is a black belt and has won gold and silver medals in international karate competitions held in Sri Lanka and Malaysia.
He told Express that the trained constables would be guided to achieve excellence in karate.
He said he was happy that the Police Department had provided him the opportunity.
Apart from self-defense, this would also help constables bail out common people, especially the fairer sex from tricky situations, the SP said.