Sanjukta becomes CRPF Cobra unit’s first woman IG:2006-batch IPS officer led anti-insurgency operations, patrolled jungles with an AK-47 in Assam

2006-batch IPS officer Sanjukta Parashar has been appointed as the Inspector General (IG) of the CRPF’s CoBRA unit. She is the first woman officer to hold the post. The CRPF headquarters issued the appointment order last week. Sanjukta Parashar is an IPS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre. She will replace 1996-batch IPS officer Danesh Rana. Sanjukta Parashar will head CoBRA, the CRPF’s specialised jungle warfare commando unit. CoBRA stands for Commando Battalion for Resolute Action. A senior officer said the 10-battalion CoBRA will be headed by a woman officer for the first time. Sanjukta Parashar’s experience Sanjukta Parashar has previously worked with the National Investigation Agency (NIA). She has also served in her cadre state of Assam. Formation and role of CoBRA The CRPF formed CoBRA in 2008-09 to tackle Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in several states. The unit was also tasked with tackling insurgency in some northeastern states. The CRPF recently deployed two CoBRA units in Manipur to prevent armed violence. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), CoBRA commandos have successfully carried out jungle warfare and guerrilla operations based on intelligence inputs. The ministry said these operations helped in ending Maoist violence in the country. The violence ended in March this year. Another IG appointed in CRPF The order also announced the appointment of 2003-batch IPS officer VK Birdi as the new IG of the CRPF’s VIP security wing. VK Birdi will replace CRPF cadre officer Sunil Joon, who has been posted to the CRPF’s officers’ academy in Gurugram.