Mandi: The Border Security Force (BSF) has recently got its first female sniper, Suman Kumari. The 28-year-old sub-inspector from the Punjab unit reached the milestone after completing an eight-week rigorous training at the Central Armament and Combat Skills School of Border Security Force, Indore.
The woman from Tungal Valley of Mandi in Himachal Pradesh has also received the "Instructor Grade" after the completion of the training.
Among 56 men, she was the only woman who took a step forward and showed her bravery by taking the sniper training. In 2019, Suman opted for the exam, and the recruitment took place in BSF in 2021.
Meanwhile, after realising the danger of cross-border sniper attacks while commanding a platoon in Punjab, Suman resolved to take the course. Thereafter, she voluntarily applied for the course, and her courage made her seniors approve her for the course.
However, a trained sniper can take accurate aim from specified distances with other guns, including SSG. They are specially trained to act in difficult situations while hiding their identities and are capable of hitting the enemy accurately from a distance of more than three kilometres.
Suman comes from a humble background. Her father, Dinesh Kumar Thakur, is an electrical contractor, whereas her mother, Maya Devi, is a homemaker. One of her sisters, Sushma Thakur, is a doctor, while her brother, Vikrant Thakur, holds a degree in B.Tech. Electrical.
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