JALANDHAR - A growing number of Punjabi girls are taking to unconventional career streams and there is a growing interest among them to join the Punjab police force.

Hundreds of girls from across Punjab converged recently at the Sainik Welfare Office here to join the Punjab Police force.

The Punjab State Cabinet had recently approved recruitment of additional 2,000 constables, of which 500 posts were reserved for women. This decision was taken to strengthen the state police force and increase percentage of women constables from the existing two to 10 percent.

“Punjab police has a strength 70,000 and we are trying that 10 percent of the force should be women. Presently, the strength of women in the Punjab Police force is less than two per cent. There is a detailed selection process to admit 500 women candidates in the police force. We have already received at least 20,000 applications from Punjab that are being short-listed for selection,” said H.R.Chadha, Additioanl Director General of Police (ADGP), Punjab Armed Police.

During training, the women have to undergo rigorous sessions to enable themselves become tough and efficient. To show that they can take on the criminals, the women constables prove their ability in athletics and judo.

Over a period of time, the need for women police personnel has increased especially due to a rise in the number of women criminals and victims of incidents like rape, kidnapping, sexual harassment and dowry deaths.

Today many young women are opting for an unconventional career in the police. It is no longer a strange sight to see a group of policewomen performing their duties along with men.

“There are many people in the village, who don’t want to send their daughters out but I want to do something, so that I can become an ideal for the girls in my village and they will also go out to take coaching like me,” said Satvinder Kaur, a woman police trainee.

“To build a strong house you need a strong base. In the same way, we want to give these girls a strong base so that they can serve the country and do their duty well,” said Joginder Singh, a trainer. By Sumit Khanna (ANI)