In the insurgency hit tribal heartland of Bastar region in southern Chhattisgarh, where the sound of wireless alerts often replaces festive songs, the women commandos of the Bastar Fighters unit observed Raksha Bandhan with quiet dignity and steadfast resolve. On a day traditionally devoted to celebrating sibling bonds, these combat hardened women, veterans of some of India’s most challenging anti-Maoist operations, tied rakhis to their brothers while renewing their pledge to defend their jal, jungle, and zameen (water, forests, and land).
Among them was Constable Yanshi Nag, a B.Sc. (Agriculture) graduate who joined the Chhattisgarh Police with a clear sense of duty. After completing rigorous jungle warfare training, she has taken part in so many encounters over the past four years that she has “stopped counting.” “My family is always concerned about my safety” Nag told The Statesman. “But I know I am here for the safety of our citizens. My younger brother is nineteen, and I had already bought his rakhi. I even made sweets for him last night. Even when duty keeps me far from home, the bond remains just as strong.”
The Bastar Fighters, a specialised wing of the Chhattisgarh Police, recruit predominantly from tribal and local communities, ensuring the force is deeply familiar with the terrain and the socio-cultural fabric of the region. The unit’s women personnel have played a decisive role in recent security successes, such as the March 2024 joint operation in Bijapur district that neutralised six Maoists and recovered a cache of arms and explosives, and the December 2023 Dantewada mission in which a Maoist area commander was captured without civilian casualties.
Speaking to The Statesman, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Roy commended their dedication– “All our women commandos deserve the highest respect. They walk 30–40 kilometres a day, operate deep in hostile zones, and spend weeks away from their families to protect the country. Their courage inspires the entire force. On this Raksha Bandhan, we wish that their brothers’ wrists are never without rakhis, and that these brave sisters remain safe.”
For these women, Raksha Bandhan is more than a symbolic ritual, it is a reaffirmation of purpose. In Bastar’s remote villages, they serve as both protectors and ambassadors of peace, building trust with communities, countering extremist influence, and proving that security is rooted as much in unity as in strength. This year, as the rakhis were tied, the festival transformed into a collective vow– to protect the homeland with the same devotion that defines the bond between siblings, even when the frontline is home.