Srinagar: The army Friday deployed women soldiers at various checkpoints in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district in a bid to bridge the gap between locals and the forces.
This is for the first time after north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, that the army has deployed women soldiers also known as Rifflewomen in Ganderbal. Earlier, women soldiers were deployed at Kuwpara to check the infiltration of narcro and weapon smuggling through women Over Ground Workers (OGWs). The Rifflewomen were first deployed in Kupwara areas in August 2020 amid reports of narco- and weapon smuggle by militants with the help of their “women handlers.”
Talking to a selected group of reporters, Commanding officer of 34 Assam Rifles R S Karakoti said that Rifflewomen of Assam Rifles have been deployed at mobile vehicle check posts in Ganderbal.
“These Riffle Women have been a force multiplier and they have been bridging the gap between forces and locals. We are using them in other operations as we use our riflemen. These Riffle Women help develop a special relation between army and the locals,” he said.
