Elite women commandos to secure Delhi Metro

A lethal women commando squad trained in Filipino martial art and capable of neutralising a threat using innocuous objects like pen or hairpin would now patrol coaches and stations of Delhi Metro to ensure safety of passengers, especially women.

A team of 25 young commandos has been trained by the central security force CISF in 'Pekiti-Tirsia Kali' (PTK), which originated decades ago in Philippines and is a close- quarter unarmed combat skill used to take on multiple opponents at one time by using obscure objects usually worn on the body.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) MD Mangu Singh today commissioned the first batch of the highly motivated CISF troops after they finished their 50-day rigorous training which till now has only been imparted to the special units of the Army or NSG commandos.

This is the first time such a training has been imparted to women security personnel in the country.

"DMRC and CISF are totally committed for passenger security in the Delhi Metro especially that of women. These women commandos will surely add to the confidence of the passengers and women travelling in the Metro," Singh told reporters at the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) training facility here.

The instructors of these specially chosen women who are under under 30 years of age said they have been trained to tactically use common objects pen, hairpin, cap, belt, shoe laces, keys and sandals as deadly weapons to take on rogue elements.

"These women have been given training in this special martial art as this ensures less harm to the suspect and he or she is neutralised quickly. In sensitive cases, we need the suspect alive so that he can be interrogated for further leads. These women personnel would patrol Metro stations and coaches," CISF Inspector General (North) H V Chaturvedi said during the event.

Chaturvedi said the force, which is tasked to secure all the Delhi Metro stations, will deploy these women in civil dress as well as in uniform and also as part of its quick reaction teams during crisis situation scenarios in the mass rapid transport system which witnesses an average footfall of 26 lakh passengers every day.

"This is the first batch of our special women commandos. We will be training more of them and deploying them in the Delhi Metro," the IG said.

During their demonstration, the women exhibited how they could use shoe laces to make an attacker surrender and other skills.

DMRC MD Singh said such transport systems face a variety of problems and challenges like crowd control, and frisking issues but the agency was "fully committed" to women empowerment and safety and hence such a step was a welcome one.

Singh also announced a cash prize of Rs 50,000 for the batch.

CISF officers said women were chosen over their male counterparts for this tough training as this will also help them to secure themselves when they travel back to their barracks alone after finishing late duty hours in the DMRC.

The PTK technique is used to train commando units and special forces in 60 countries.