India has become one of the first countries to deploy women personnel in live combat situations in one of the most violent and high threat theatres of conflict. A special squad of women CRPF commandos in their trademark camouflaged ‘Khaki’ uniform has been deployed deep inside jungles to undertake active and prolonged operations against Maoists. The country’s largest paramilitary force Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), top sources said, has recently sent two small squads of its women commandos to fight the red ultras shoulder-to-shoulder with their male colleagues by not only living at the ground locations but also carrying out patrols. While one contingent is undertaking operations in the worst Naxal-affected area of Bastar in Chhattisgarh, the other has been based at an undisclosed location in Jharkhand.