In a first, female IPS officer to head Srinagar sector for CRPF

NEW DELHI — For the first time, a female IPS officer Charu Sinha has been appointed as Inspector General (IG) of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Srinagar sector, one of the militant-affected areas in Jammu and Kashmir.

Charu Sinha, IPS officer of the 1996-batch Telangana cadre, will now be heading the Srinagar sector for CRPF as the Inspector General. This is not the first time when she has been assigned such a tough task. Earlier also, she had worked as IG in the Bihar sector in CRPF and has dealt with Naxals.

Under her leadership, various anti-Naxal operations were carried out. Later, she was transferred to IG Jammu in CRPF where she spent a long and successful tenure. On Monday, a fresh order came appointing her as the IG Srinagar sector.

Current Director-General CRPF, AP Maheshwari headed the Srinagar sector as IG in 2005. The sector, which started functioning in 2005 never had a female officer at the IG level. This sector involved in anti-militant operations and closely work with the Indian Army along with Jammu and Kashmir Police.

“Srinagar sector is located at Brein Nishat, Srinagar (J&K). It started functioning in 2005. Srinagar sector has operational jurisdiction over three districts of J&K – Budgam, Ganderbal, and Srinagar and Union Territory of Ladakh,” the CRPF said.

“It includes two ranges, 22 executive units, and three Mahila companies. Apart from it, Srinagar sector has administrative control on Group Centre-Srinagar,” the paramilitary force added.

Charu Sinha will also be heading all operations involved in this sector.

Besides this, six IPS officers and four senior cadre officers have also been transferred or inducted in CRPF. IPS officers Maheshwar Dayal (Jharkhand sector), PS Ranpise (Jammu sector), Raju Bhargava (Work) have been inducted into the CRPF.

PS Ranpise will replace Charu Sinha as head of the Jammu sector. Similarly, Rajesh Kumar who was heading operations in Kashmir in the J&K zone has been transferred and Sanjay Kaushik will head the Dehradun sector.

Others who have been transferred are Rakesh Kumar Yadav, RNS Bahad, and Pramod Kumar Pandey.