📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Indian Police Service
Defence
Sanjukta Parashar Becomes First Woman to Lead CRPF’s Elite CoBRA Unit
✍️ India Today NE
🗓 16 Sep 2026, 04:16 AM
👁 10
Sanjukta Parashar, dubbed the ‘Iron Lady of Assam’, has been appointed as the first female head of the CRPF’s elite CoBRA unit.
Sanjukta Parashar has been named the new commander of the Central Reserve Police Force’s CoBRA unit, marking the first time a woman has been given charge of the force’s specialised counter‑insurgency formation. The appointment was announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs and has been widely reported across national media.
CoBRA, the CRPF’s elite Counter‑Insurgency and Jungle Warfare unit, is tasked with high‑risk operations in insurgency‑prone regions. Its personnel undergo rigorous training and are frequently deployed in challenging terrains to neutralise militant threats.
Parashar, often referred to as the ‘Iron Lady of Assam’ for her firm stance on law‑and‑order issues in the northeastern state, brings decades of policing experience to the role. Her elevation is seen as a significant step toward gender inclusivity within India’s security establishments.
Security analysts note that her leadership could inspire more women to pursue careers in paramilitary forces, while the CRPF hopes the appointment will reinforce operational effectiveness and morale within CoBRA.
CoBRA, the CRPF’s elite Counter‑Insurgency and Jungle Warfare unit, is tasked with high‑risk operations in insurgency‑prone regions. Its personnel undergo rigorous training and are frequently deployed in challenging terrains to neutralise militant threats.
Parashar, often referred to as the ‘Iron Lady of Assam’ for her firm stance on law‑and‑order issues in the northeastern state, brings decades of policing experience to the role. Her elevation is seen as a significant step toward gender inclusivity within India’s security establishments.
Security analysts note that her leadership could inspire more women to pursue careers in paramilitary forces, while the CRPF hopes the appointment will reinforce operational effectiveness and morale within CoBRA.