Sanjukta Parashar Becomes First Woman to Lead CRPF's CoBRA Unit

Senior IPS officer Sanjukta Parashar has taken charge as Inspector General of the Central Reserve Police Force's elite CoBRA unit, becoming the first woman officer to head the specialised jungle-warfare formation.

Parashar, a 2006-batch officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, succeeds 1996-batch IPS officer Danesh Rana. The CRPF headquarters issued the appointment order last week. A senior officer noted that this is the first time the 10-battalion-strong CoBRA will be led by a woman.

CoBRA, or the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action, is among the CRPF's most specialised operational formations. It was raised for high-risk missions in jungle and guerrilla warfare environments, with training in long-range patrols, intelligence-based operations, ambushes, counter-ambushes and operations in areas where improvised explosive devices pose a major threat.

The force has been deployed extensively in anti-Maoist operations across Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Maharashtra, where commandos operate in dense forests and difficult terrain. Two CoBRA units were recently deployed by the CRPF to check armed violence in Manipur.

Officials said the unit's work demands officers with strong field orientation, operational judgement and the ability to coordinate closely with other security agencies. The Ministry of Home Affairs credits CoBRA commandos with successful intelligence-based jungle warfare and guerrilla operations against Naxals, which led to the end of Maoist violence in the country this March.

Parashar's career has closely mirrored these requirements. During her early postings in Assam, she served in insurgency-affected areas and handled assignments involving armed militant groups, volatile law-and-order situations and difficult terrain. Her active role in field operations earned her public recognition and the title "Iron Lady of Assam".

Images of Parashar carrying an AK-47 while accompanying security personnel during counter-insurgency operations had earlier drawn national attention. Colleagues and observers have noted that her reputation was built not merely on public perception but on sustained work in areas where policing required both endurance and tactical awareness.

Her first posting came in 2008, when she served as an Assistant Commandant in Makum, Assam. She was later posted to Udalguri, which was then witnessing violent clashes involving Bodo groups and migrants from Bangladesh. The assignment gave her early exposure to conflict management and operational policing in a sensitive environment.

Parashar also served with the National Investigation Agency as a Deputy Inspector General, handling investigations related to terrorism, extremism and national security. Gyanendra Pratap Singh, a 1991-batch IPS officer also from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, had served in the NIA and is now Director General of the CRPF.

A strong academic record preceded her career in policing. She studied political science at Indraprastha College for Women, Delhi University, before pursuing higher studies in International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University. She completed her MPhil and PhD in US foreign policy.

Her appointment is being seen as significant at a time when security forces are facing complex operational challenges in forests, hilly terrain, border regions and areas affected by armed extremist groups.