Our bus was 3rd, we wept but were enraged too: CRPF women

BEMINA/PULWAMA/SRINAGAR: With tears tightly held back, Shalu cuts a grim and outrageous figure at one of CRPF’s Bemina batallions in Srinagar even as her family is making arrangements for her wedding in Rajouri on March 9 this year.

The 28-year-old was among the 30-odd women constables who were part of the February 14 convoy in Pulwama.

Their vehicle was third behind the bus that was blown up by Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber Adil Ahmad Dar, killing 40 CRPF jawans.

“Jab bus ko udte hue dekha toh ekdam ghabra gaye, ekdam se khoon khaula aur kaha ki ab yeh saamne aajaye toh usko maar daalenge (When we saw the bus blowing up, I felt like blowing up the terrorist),” she says, adjusting her olive green woolen cap.

“I was speaking to my would-be mother-in-law on the phone when the blast took place. She understood, since my fiancé is serving the Indian Army in Gujarat. Our foremost duty will always be to serve the nation,” she insists, recollecting how she had jumped in joy in 2012 when she landed a CRPF job.

While stroking the Indian tricolour pin on her jacket, Pushpa, a 38-year-old constable, regrets that she did not have the weapon when the bomber exploded the bus.

“I wish I had my weapon and could snuff out his life before he touched my colleagues,” says Pushpa who was returning from a four-day leave on the tragic day.

There are four companies of CRPF women serving in the Jammu and Kashmir region at the moment, which have been borrowed from as many battalions.

Between them, they guard the Shankaracharya shrine, Central Jail, international airport, high court and government offices in Srinagar.

A lot has changed since 1986-87 when the CRPF women battalion was raised for the first time and six women officials were recruited, who were subsequently sent to Sri Lanka. Two DIG-rank women — Nitu Bhattacharya and Annie Abraham - serve here. The challenges in Kashmir include showing resilience when youth pelt stones at their vehicles or keeping a hawk’s eye on protest rallies.

“It requires grit to check women in jails and then find SIM cards or cash inside fruits or their pherans at times amid hostilities or face their abuses. It is emotionally draining when you have a six-year-old daughter,” says Divya, an inspector who came under sports quota from Kerala in 2001.

Each of them turns emotional as they share their bonhomie - from pipping each other in a badminton game, or teaching them how to lift a bukhari (kerosene-run heater) or shift from INSAS 5.56 mm, 9 mm carbine to AK-47 during night operations.

“Sometimes, it’s a group dance, other times it’s a group selfie over birthday cakes,” laughs Draupadi, 51, who has spent 29 years in CRPF with six postings in Kashmir.

And, there are always comical arguments over the amount of sugar, milk, honey and nuts in the line barracks, mess, leading to hugs and peace at Sunday bhajans at 9 am.

For those among the studious variety, there are always sessions to offer their valuable suggestions on arming themselves with post-graduate degrees.