Women Special Operations Group team deployed in Jammu ahead of Lok Sabha elections

Jammu: A small contingent of women personnel of the Special Operations Group, a specially-trained counter-insurgency force of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, has been deployed in Jammu ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

Voting for the Jammu parliamentary seat will be held on April 26 in the second phase of elections.

The eight-member team, fully equipped with automatic weapons and bullet-proof vests, can be seen carrying out patrolling duties in an armoured vehicle and conducting searches and vehicle checking in different parts of the city.

"The contingent had undergone rigorous training for three months before being deployed on the ground. They are assigned the task of routine motor vehicle checking, area domination and highway patrolling," Superintendent of Police (operations), Kameshwar Puri said.

He said they are being deployed on the directions of the senior officers and the team will augment the strength of the SOG on the ground.

"This is an example of women empowerment and their presence will help us tackle on-ground challenges in a better way as they work shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts," the SP said.

Meanwhile, the presence of women police personnel on Sidhra bypass, Kunjwani and Gujjar Nagar, caught the eye of the commuters who welcomed the development.

"This is election time and a strict vigil is being maintained which is very good for all of us. The presence of women personnel, especially at checkpoints, makes women travellers feel comfortable," Daleep Kumar, a resident of Jammu city, said.

Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in strength across the constituency spread over 18 assembly constituencies, including 11 in Jammu district, three each in Samba and Reasi districts, and one in Rajouri district.

More than 17.68 lakh electors are registered in the Lok Sabha constituency where a total of 23 candidates are in the fray with BJP's Jugal Kishore looking to score a hat-trick of wins. His main opponent is Congress candidate and former minister Raman Bhalla.

A total of 2,416 polling stations are being set up for the voters in the constituency with authorities focused on securing the area with intensified area domination by police and paramilitary forces.