Bhopal: Only 4 women IPS officers head police force in state

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Only four women IPS officers are currenly heading the police force at the district, range and zonal level in the state. They include SPs of districts, DIGs of ranges and IGs and ADGs of zones. There are more than 88 field posts in police department but only four women IPS officers are serving on them. The 88 field posts include superintendents of police (SP), deputy inspector general (DIG) of police and inspector general (IG) and additional director general of police (ADG).

As per record, the state has 26 women IPS officers out of 250. According to official sources, four districts including Betul, Vidisha, Bhopal has one woman IPS officer each. They are Simala Prasad, Monika Shukla, Kiran Kirkatta and Shraddha Tiwari. Sources informed that more than 20 IPS officers are eligible for the post of SP, DIG and IG or ADG.

ADG administration D Sreeniwas Rao, when asked about very few women IPS officers posted on field duty, said, “Talk to DGP to know the reason”. The ADG (women safety) Pragya Richa Shrivastava said, “Many officers are posted as ASP or commandants. I think when the time will come, they will be get the post of SP or other posts”. The retired special DG Aruna Mohan Rao has a different opinion. She said, “Women police officials have household and office responsibilities. Sometimes, they step back to give importance to household responsibilities”.