Asim Arun, a former IPS officer and minister for Uttar Pradesh, shared on Friday the moving story of a police officer who joined the UP Police’s Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS)’s elite Special Police Operations Team (SPOT).
Asim Arun wrote a thorough post on X about how, at first, only male UP Police personnel were permitted to appear in the entry process. This changed when Priyanka Panwar approached him and expressed interest in joining the SPOT unit. A wrestler, Priyanka became a member of the Uttar Pradesh Police in 2011 and in 2017 she was assigned to the SPOT unit.
Arun wrote in his post on X, “Meet Priyanka Panwar, a commando of the Special Police Operations Team (SPOT) of Uttar Pradesh Police ATS. The story of her becoming a commando is also interesting…”
“When Yogi ji ordered me to form SPOT as ATS chief, names of those interested were sought from all police and PAC… Many male policemen used to come and take the test. It was a difficult test, with only a few able to pass. One day, the inspector of SPOT told me that a girl had also come to appear for the exam. What to do?”
Arun wrote,”I asked him to call this girl. Then, Priyanka appeared in front of me for the first time… She said, ‘Sir, I will also become a commando, I am a wrestler.’ The girl had enthusiasm and sports fitness. I felt that I had made a big mistake (as) we had not included the provision of women police officers in the applications that we had asked for.” He added, “We corrected the mistake and allowed Priyanka to take the test….Priyanka got selected and attended the SPOT training.”
He a”Priyanka performed very well, and taking inspiration from her, other girls (also) became part of (the) SPOT team and participated in dangerous operations. And whether it is a matter of risk-taking or efficiency, our daughters are no less than anyone else.”
In order to gather intelligence and conduct anti-terror and anti-naxal operations, the UP ATS established the Special Police Operations Team (SPOT) in 2017.
In addition to receiving specialised training, SPOT members are outfitted with cutting-edge weapons and technology. At present, it comprises five teams, each situated at distinct strategic points across multiple districts in Uttar Pradesh.
Link to article –
Meet Priyanka Panwar, single woman applicant who is now first woman SPOT commando of Uttar Pradesh
