Mumbai Police were the first to have women police station in charges in as many as eight of the city's 91 police stations, a fact that they proudly tweeted way back in 2018. Today, the tradition continues.
In 2023, half a decade later, women officers are handling eight police stations as Senior Police Inspectors across Mumbai, in Sion, Vile Parle, Jogeshwari, Charcop, Yellow Gate and Gorai police stations along with the Western Cyber Region and East Cyber Region.
Renuka Buva, Sr. PI, Vile Parle Police Station | VGP
Vile Parle is an important police station in the Western Suburbs. There, Renuka Buva, a Senior Police Inspector, a 1995 batch Business Management Diploma and LLB holder, holds fort. Buva was attached to Colaba police station as an Assistant Police Officer when the 26/11 terror attack occurred. She has been an Investigation Officer in a fake currency case, which she solved, bringing the accused from Jharkhand. She has worked with the Anti-Terrorist Squad, Anti Corruption, as Special Police Officer, Immigration Department, and in various police stations. A former NCC cadet and national-level handball player Buva says, "I decided in school to become a police officer. No one looks at you differently just because you are a woman officer."
Manisha Shirke, Sr. PI, Sion Police Station | VGP
Manisha Shirke is Senior Police Inspector post at Sion Police Station; also from from the 1995 batch, she is skilled in solving rape cases. She cracked a gang rape case which was registered at the Chunnahatti police station. A case was registered against a police officer by a foreign national, and in another one a woman had filed a case against high ranking officers in the corporate sector. She tackled both effortlessly.
In another instance, a police officer's wife and son were kidnapped, and the son subsequently murdered; Shirke solved this one as well. She has worked with the Crime Branch, Anti-Narcotics Cell, and in various police stations. She holds a BSc (Physics) degree and dreamt of becoming a teacher. But her mother wanted her to join the police, a decision that she does not regret.
Sharmila Sahasrabudhe, Sr. PI, Cyber East Region Police Station |
Leading In Solving Cyber Crimes
Take Sharmila Sahastrabuddhe, Senior Police Inspector at Cyber East Region, also from the 1995 batch. She has worked with the Economic Offences Wing, Anti-Narcotics Cell, and in various police stations in Mumbai. She was an Investigation officer in a case when a minor girl was kidnapped and raped, and in a case where a son killed his father. Both cases resulted in convictions.
Currently, cyber crimes are rapidly increasing in Mumbai, and it is challenging to solve them. Sahastrabuddhe has a BA in Sanskrit. A state level volleyball player and a former cricketer Shastrabuddhe says, "I was attracted from childhood to uniforms.” She points out that she has never faced any negative experience from male colleagues “or their male ego."
Mandakini Narote, Sr PI, Gorai Police Station |
Mandakini Narote is Senior Police Inspector of Gorai Police Station, from the 1996 batch, and worked with the Special Branch and in various police stations. She has been an Investigation Officer in cases involving women and children. She has solved murder and attempted murder cases where some of the accused have got life sentences and others have received sentences of 5-10 years in prison. She helped solve a foreign national woman trafficking case. A BSc (Chemistry) holder Narote was attracted to the police uniform from childhood. She points out, "There is a lot of power in the uniform. I am passionate about my work.”
Jayshree Gajbhiye, Sr PI, Jogeshwari Police Station |
Apart from that, Jayashree Gajbhiye works as a Senior Police Inspector at Jogeshwari Police Station, Jyoti Bagul-Bhopale works as a Senior Police Inspector at Charcop Police Station, Sarala Vasave works as a Senior Police Inspector at Yello Gate Police Station and Suvarna Shinde works as a Senior Police Inspector at Western Cyber Region.
