Charu Sinha appointed IG CRPF in Srinagar, first female IPS officer to take charge in terrorist-hit sector

Image for representational use only

SRINAGAR: For the first time, a female IPS officer has been appointed as Inspector General (IG) of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Srinagar sector, one of the terrorist-affected areas in Jammu and Kashmir. 

Charu Sinha, IPS officer of the 1996-batch of Telangana cadre, will now be heading the Srinagar sector for CRPF as the Inspector General. 

This is not the first time when she has been assigned such a tough task, earlier also, she had worked as IG, the Bihar sector in CRPF and has dealt with Naxals. 

Under her leadership, various anti-Naxals operations were carried out. Later, she was transferred to Jammu as IG CRPF where she spent a long and successful tenure. 

On Monday, a fresh order was issued appointing her as the IG Srinagar sector. Current Director-General CRPF AP Maheshwari has led the Srinagar sector as IG in 2005. 

The sector, which started functioning in 2005, never had a female officer at the IG level. This sector involved in anti-terror operations and closely work with the Indian Army along with Jammu and Kashmir police.

"Srinagar sector is located at Brein Nishat, Srinagar (J&K). It started functioning in 2005. Srinagar Sector has operational jurisdiction over three districts of (J&K) - Budgam, Ganderbal, and Srinagar and Union Territory of Ladakh," the CRPF said.

"It includes 2 ranges, 22 executive units, and 3 Mahila companies. Apart from it, Srinagar Sector has administrative control on Group Centre-Srinagar," the paramilitary force added.

Sinha will also be heading all operations involved in this sector. Besides this, 6 IPS officers and 4 senior cadre officers have also been transferred or inducted in CRPF. 

IPS officers Maheshwar Dayal (Jharkhand sector), PS Ranpise (Jammu sector), Raju Bhargava (Work) have been inducted into the CRPF.

PS Ranpise will replace Charu Sinha as head of the Jammu sector. Similarly, Rajesh Kumar who was heading operations Kashmir in the J&K zone has been transferred and Sanjay Kaushik will head the Dehradun sector.

Others who have been transferred are Rakesh Kumar Yadav, RNS Bahad, and Pramod Kumar Pandey.