Woman Keeps the Taj Safe

Brij Khandelwal

Over 350 years after Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan built the famous Taj Mahal for his beloved Mumtaz Mahal here, a woman officer takes pride in guarding it and protecting it from vandals.

Khammo Singh, deputy commandant of the Central Industrial Security Force, admits that guarding India's precious jewel is a huge responsibility, but she considers it a privilege and a proof of her capabilities.

Khammo has been almost single-handedly marshalling her 200-odd force to ensure the safety of the monument for over 2 years. Coping with threats and carrying out frisking and searching operations has not been easy for Khammo, for often visitors lose their cool.

The Taj has a 3-tiered security arrangement - the inner complex is the responsibility of the CISF, while the outer premises are under the care of Uttar Pradesh police and Provincial Armed Constabulary.

"Every time a VVIP's ego is bruised or is made to wait for frisking there is tension in the air," says Khammo.

When unruly crowds created a chaos inside the Taj recently, the Supreme Court asked Khammo to explain the security lapses. But Khammo has learnt to take it all in her stride.

"More than external threats to the monument, it is the daily hassle of frisking and checking of visitors entering the Taj from 3 gates that are a real test of nerves and patience. Maintaining peace and decorum is the challenge," Khammo told Www.mediabharti.com in an interview.

"We ensure that our personnel are polite and well-behaved as the country's image is at stake. "I tell my men that for them a person may be the 3,000th visitor, but it is his first visit to the Taj. So they should make him feel comfortable and involve him in the responsibility of security checks." "Human interface has to be constantly kept in mind," she asserts.

Khammo, a graduate from New Delhi's Lady Sri Ram College, has had challenging postings right from the start of her career. "My first posting was at Dhandbad at Jharia coal mines, where the coal mafia is strong. Then they sent me to Patna airport and to Tughlaqabad container depot," she says. "Hill people have a lot of physical stamina and that's how I can work for long stretches. There is a lot of stress managing people and not getting provoked."

So how does she keep her calm? "I am a great fan of Swami Ram Dev, his tips do help me maintain my cool."

At work, she resents being called a woman officer. "I firmly believe that we have to do our jobs to the best of our capabilities, justify every single penny the government spends on us," she says on her philosophy of work. "Outside the monument security arrangements are indeed a little intimidating. But once inside it is difficult to spot our men. They are there but you will not feel their presence."

The romantic aura of the monument of love didn't leave Khammo untouched. Khammo, who hails from Nagaland, got her prince charming in the city of Taj.