Florine Roche / Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore / Kundapur

Mangalore/Kundapur, Mar 8: There was a time when police was considered essentially to be a male occupation. Times have changed. There are lots of smart, beautiful, talented, intelligent, ambitious and hardworking women working in the police force. But often women in the police department have the additional burden of proving themselves and there are many women police officers who have proved that that they are not inferior to men in any departments of human excellence. There are instances where some women police have shown extraordinary courage, vision, strength and compassion in handling their responsibilities.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Daijiworld spoke to four women police officers, two each in Mangalore and Kundapur, who have made a mark in the department with their extraordinary actions, courage and determination, to know what it is to be like to work in the male-dominated police force and the challenges they face in discharging their duties.

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ACP Kavitha, Mangalore

 
Assistant commissioner of police Kavitha, KAS, has been working in the police department in the last 2 ½ years. It has been six months she took over as assistant commissioner of police in Mangalore. Kavitha who hails from Chitradurga holds a post graduate degree in Kannada literature. She had a great fascination for police uniform from her childhood and when police officer Alok Kumar was posted in Chitradurga as SP, she was overawed by the good work he did as a police official. With that inspiration she decided to join the police force and has been doing her job with a great deal of zest.
 
She agrees that women police officials have to work hard to prove themselves but she adds, “It comes with the baggage of being a police official.” She says she hardly faced any gender bias or discrimination being a woman police officer. “There is nothing like male domination though it might have been prevalent earlier when women police were less. Of course, expectations from women police are always higher and we have to put in extra efforts. But now we are all on a level-playing field. I am doing my duty sincerely and with a sense of responsibility,” says the policewoman who has led her team in many a raid around the city in recent times and been on the forefront of ensuring law and order in the city.
 
Being a police official is like on duty 24X7 but so far Kavitha has not faced any problems on that front as far as her family life is concerned. She married Nagashayana, who is working as deputy superintendent in the excise department in Mysore, a year ago and the couple is yet to have children. Since they have not been posted together she doesn’t have to do much of a balancing act when it comes to managing the family life.
 
Kavitha says the most challenging case she has been part of in the last six months was the rescue of 84 Sri Lankan refugees from the clutches of traffickers when they were being transported to Australia in September 2012. The district police led by Kavitha had seized the boat which led to the rescue of the refugees. The incident was termed by IGP (Western Range) Pratap Reddy as the first major case of human trafficking in Karnataka.
 
For aspiring women who want to get into the police force Kavitha says, “More and more women should get into the police force. The atmosphere in the department is very encouraging and there are enough avenues for women to excel and show what we are capable of.”
 

DySP Yashoda, Kundapur

Anyone who has been following the news from Kundapur lately is sure to be familiar with the name of the taluk's deputy superintendent of police Yashoda. The 30-year-old native of Mudhol in Bagalkot district was educated in her hometown and Dharwad. She holds a Master’s degree from Karnataka University and is the daughter of Satyappa and Laxmi. Devendra, Saroja, and Sunandha are her siblings.

Yashoda had aspired for a job in public service and with Kiran Bedi as her role model, she has not only achieved her goal but discharged her duties with elan. She says Bedi’s bravery and straightforwardness was her inspiration. After clearing the Karnataka Public Service Commission exam she was posted as Kundapur DySP.
 
Yashoda says she is free of all political and department pressure. Asked about how she survives in a male-dominated profession, Yashoda said the trend was different now and equality is the norm. "DySP is a Class 1 post and I have the full support of my superiors such as the superintendent of police (SP) and the inspector general of police (IGP)." On the family front too, she has the unstinting support of her husband Sunil who is employed in the private sector.

Yashoda’s advice to women aspiring to join the police force - 'do not hold back, work hard, and show your ability; do not hesitate to work with men - men and women are equal'.

Referring to the status of women police in India and the public’s perception, she said that having women officers makes it easier for women to approach them with their problems. About factors that could do with improvement as far as women police officers are concerned, she said they should accept their job as a challenge and be brave enough to tackle all that comes their way without feeling inferior to men in any way.
 
She says cracking the RTI activist Vasudeva Adiga murder case was the toughest she has handled as DySP, and one of the biggest victories for her and her team.

On the increasing number of crimes against women in the coastal region, she says such cases should be taken seriously and proper guidelines framed to tackle them. "Women should be made aware of the safety facilities such as helpline numbers that the government is providing them," she adds.

Sub-inspector Bharathi G, Mangalore

 
Bharathi who is working as sub-inspector in Panambur police came to limelight when she was the SI in Moodbidri, where she was known for her efficient handling of the cases including strict action against anti-social elements.
 
It has been ten years since she has joined the department. It is not that she was inspired by anyone to join the police force. Bharathi who hails from Chikmagalur wanted a job and after her BEd and MEd she answered KPSC exam and got into the police force and now she says, “I just love the job, more than anything else”.
 
Bharathi is aware of what she was expected of as police sub-inspector and says, “I never gave thought that I might be discriminated because I am a woman. I never gave room for such thinking and that has been a part of my personality. We women have to create an atmosphere where we can show our talents and demonstrate that being women can handle situations and issues competently. It is not difficult if we make up our mind.”
 
Bharathi is married to B A Narasimha Murthy, who is working as an accountant in KSRTC, and has a 2 ½ year old daughter. But she has hardly faces any problem in balancing her family and profession because she says her mother-in-law has taken the responsibility of the family in her absence. “I feel my duty is my first responsibility though I cannot neglect my family on that count. I am not saying this because I have someone back home to take care. Even otherwise I would have made alternative arrangements and would have given importance to my duty,” she points out.
 
Bharathi states that more women should try to get into the police force so that there is a real change in the way people look at the police force. “Though it may look difficult from a distance, the departmental atmosphere is quite encouraging for women who have the talent and the ability to work hard and prove themselves.”

Sub-inspector (Crime) Revathi, Kundapur

Revathi has brought in a transformation in the crime branch. Hailing from Brahmavar, Udupi district, she is the daughter of Narayan Shettigar and Lalitha.

Revathi completed her BCom from SMS College Brahmavar, and despite getting various opportunities in other fields, she decided to serve the country and became a police officer.

Her husband Maruthi, is a class one contractor and their son Ram Shubham is studying in ninth standard at SMS Brahmavar.

She passed the police sub-inspector (PSI) exam and was soon after appointed as the PSI.

Other than her profession, Revathi is also concerned about society and has undertaken various successful social activities such as child and women’s welfare benefit programmes.

She always faces each task at hand with a brave face for which she is known as ‘Kiran Bedi of Honnavar’ among the locals.

As a role model for all women, she aims to solve criminal cases and create awareness in society to help reduce such incidents.

"Since childhood, I have been reading books on patriotism which have influenced me a great deal. Rani of Jhansi, the courage of Laxmi Devi, and the service of Mother Theresa - they are all etched in my mind. Influenced by these eminent personalities, I always wanted to be a part of the nation’s military force; but due to some unforeseen circumstances I could not do so," she says, when asked about what inspired her to take up the police profession.

After she joined as a police constable she cleared the PSI exam, and through general merit, she got promoted to PSI.

During her initial days she handled cases from Honnavar and Kadra and other areas. The Honnavar police station is a big jurisdiction. The crime sub-inspector with the smiling face is a braveheart with courage of a lioness - it goes to her credit that she has handled 93 cases in a year, more than 100 raids, and also solved several criminal cases.

Indeed, the policewomen deserve a huge applause for creating a niche for themselves in their demanding profession. While crimes against women make us bow our heads with shame, it is such able women as Kavitha, Bharathi, Yashoda and Revathi, and the entire women police force that raise the dignity of womanhood to greater heights.

A big salute to the woman in uniform.