Sanjukta Parashar becomes first woman to lead CRPF's CoBRA unit

Senior IPS officer Sanjukta Parashar, also referred to as the “Iron Lady of Assam” for her counter-insurgency work in the Northeast, 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 force.

Parashar, a 2006-batch IPS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, brings to the post extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations, field policing and national security investigations. The CRPF headquarters issued the appointment order last week. Parashar succeeds 1996-batch IPS officer Danesh Rana as the IG, CoBRA. “This is the first time that the 10-battalion-strong CoBRA of the CRPF will be headed by a woman officer,” a senior officer said.

Two CoBRA units were recently deployed by the CRPF to check armed violence in Manipur. Parashar’s 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.

CoBRA, or Commando Battalion for Resolute Action, is one of CRPF’s most specialised operational formations. Raised for high-risk missions in jungle and guerrilla warfare environments, the force is trained for 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. Officials said CoBRA’s work requires officers with strong field orientation, operational judgement and the ability to coordinate closely with other security agencies.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) credits the battalion’s 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 work in these areas, particularly her active role in field operations, earned her public recognition and the title “Iron Lady of Assam”.

Images of Parashar on social media carrying an AK-47 while accompanying security personnel during counter-insurgency operations had earlier drawn national attention. Colleagues and observers have often 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’s professional profile also includes experience with the National Investigation Agency, where she served as a Deputy Inspector General and handled investigations related to terrorism, extremism and national security. Incidentally, Gyanendra Pratap Singh, a 1991-batch IPS officer also from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, had served in the NIA.

He is now DG, CRPF. A strong academic record preceded Parashar’s 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.