Kolkata | West Bengal Police has proposed creating two all-women armed battalions under the State Police Reserve Force (SPRF) to strengthen the safety of women and children and assist in handling sensitive law-and-order situations, a senior bureaucrat said on Friday.

The proposal has been sent to the state government for approval, he added.

"These battalions are being conceived as specialised operational units. Their primary role will be to support policing related to women and children, anti-human trafficking operations and other sensitive assignments where the deployment of trained women personnel is considered essential," the bureaucrat told PTI on condition of anonymity.

The two units are likely to be named the 'Matangini Hazra Women SPRF Battalion' and 'Rani Shiromoni Women SPRF Battalion', after two iconic women figures from Bengal's history, he said.

The proposed battalions would be equipped and trained on a par with other armed police units, he said.

"The objective is not only to increase the strength of women in uniform but also to create dedicated forces capable of responding effectively to emerging policing requirements. They will receive specialised training in crowd management, operational tactics, investigation support and protection-related duties," the bureaucrat said.

Around 2,006 women personnel may be recruited across various ranks, including commandant, deputy commandant, DSP, inspector, sub-inspector, assistant sub-inspector, wireless operator, police driver and constable, he said.

The proposal has also suggested that existing infrastructure within the Barrackpore Police Brigade area could be utilised for the Rani Shiromoni Battalion, while nothing has been finalised for the location for the Matangini Hazra Battalion, he stated.

Officials said the battalions would also assist district police units and commissionerates in handling cases involving women and children and provide operational support during special drives and investigations.

The proposal is currently awaiting the state government's approval, following which the process of raising the battalions and recruitment of personnel is expected to begin, he said.