Meet `Mardaani` Sanjukta Parashar- Assam's most fearless female IPS officer

Move over `Dabangg` Salman Khan and even our B-Town's fierce `Mardaani` Rani Mukerji. Bollywood has lately introduced such fearless on-screen characters. When we hear of the true heroes in India, comparisons between reel and real are bound to come up.

It is time that all hail the real life hero - Assam's most fearless lady IPS officer- Sanjukta Parashar.

She is the face that Bodo militants fear in Assam. Her feats and gallantry have proved that 'Mardaanis' exist in real life too!

Sanjukta Parashar, currently Superintendent of Police in the Sonitpur district of Assam, has also served as SP in the Jorhat district.

She could have easily opted for a 9 to 5 job - after all she had secured 85th rank (All India) in UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) exams, but rather she chose to fight the Bodo militants who have terrorised people in the northeastern region for long.

Her academic qualifications make her all the more admirable. After getting a bachelor's degree in Political Science (Honours) from IP college of Delhi University, Sanjukta later earned her Master's degree in International Relations from JNU. Her educational endeavours do not end there. The fearless police officer later completed her Ph.D. in US foreign policy from a university in Indonesia.

Sanjukta Parashar was born and brought up in Assam and is the only female IPS officer in the state. She is undoubtedly a badass lady of Assam who regularly leads CRPF jawans through rough forests and difficult terrains. The mother of two fights militants with heavily-armed weapons and loaded AK-47 in the NE insurgency areas.

She is truly an unsung hero who in the past few months has wiped out 16 militants and arrested over 64. She is also the main reason behind the arrest of four militants of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland-Songbijit (NDFB-S) in Maldang, who were also responsible for a deadly attack on the Army in Manipur last month.

Along with that, she has seized tons of arms and ammunition in only a few months, sending an inspirational message to millions of women out there.

During her tenure as the SP of Jorhat (2011-2014), she made sure the city was free of all rogues and eve-teasers. Quick to beat the hell out of people, who did not comply with law, Sanjukta posted women officers in civilian clothes to arrest law-breakers and sexual assaulters. The administration used to sail smoothly and laws were strictly followed. It is true that during her tenure as SP of Jorhat, rowdy ruffians did not dare create any nuisance.

Fighting terror in the dense jungles of the state, Sanjukta's first posting came in 2008 as Assistant Commandant in Makum. Later, she was transferred to Udalguri where she handled the ethnic clashes between the Bodos and illegal Bangladeshi migrants.

The gutsy lady has been leading the anti-Bodo militant operations for the last 15 months. The call of duty is indeed the higher call and the `Dabangg` lady has proven it over time.

She has indeed set a benchmark for fellow police officers, by choosing to tread on a path that even the toughest hesitate to take – fighting militants and naxals. And she has been doing it all.

Respect to you lady! You certainly are a true inspiration.

If we can glorify on-screen heroes religiously, Sanjukta deserves a higher accolade.

(Image credit: Sanjukta Parashar Facebook)