In recent times, women have been increasingly stepping into various fields, standing shoulder to shoulder with men. However, the challenges they face in different domains are unique, requiring distinct approaches to overcome them.

The police force is no exception, where numerous women officers are diligently working to maintain law and order in society. One such officer is IPS officer Ragasudha R. On the occasion of International Women's Day, FPJ interacted with Ragasudha R., Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Zone 4 in the Mumbai Police Department.

About IPS Officer Ragasudha R

Ragasudha was born in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. Her father, Ramachandran, was Working as a civil engineer, while her mother, Thilakam, was a professor. She also has a younger sister who is a dentist. In 2019, Ragsudha married Gopinath, a pilot working with Indigo Airlines. The couple has a four-year-old son.

Speaking with FPJ, Ragasudha shared that when she was in sixth grade, Additional Collector P. Amudha visited her school. Inspired by her presence, and due to her father's profession, she occasionally accompanied him when he met P. Amudha. That moment became a turning point in her life. After completing her schooling in Erode district, Tamil Nadu, she pursued a B.Sc. in Agriculture, graduating in 2012. She secured 98% in her 12th-grade exams and achieved a 10 out of 9 aggregate percentage in her graduation.

With a firm dream of becoming an IPS officer, she immediately moved to Delhi and began preparing for the UPSC exams in June 2011. She studied for 18 hours daily for three years and appeared for the UPSC exam in 2014, ultimately securing her place as an IPS officer in the 2015 batch. As a probationary IPS officer, she was posted in Satara district in 2017.

Her first posting was as an ASP in Manmad, Nashik district, from December 2017 to July 2019. Later, she served as Addl. SP of Parbhani from July 2019 to October 2020. She then worked as Commandant of SRPF in Jalna from October 2020 to October 2022, followed by a tenure as SP of Parbhani from October 2022 to January 2024. Handling responsibilities as an SP in Parbhani was particularly challenging. Since February 2024, she has been serving in Mumbai, initially in the Enforcement Department as DCP before being appointed as DCP of Zone 4. She is committed to executing her duties with determination and responsibility.

Discussing one of her major challenges, she shared her experience of leading the SIT team investigating the Gondia gang rape case. She headed the investigation for about a month and a half. The case involved two accused who had gang-raped a woman. Under her supervision, the accused were arrested, and further investigations were carried out.

Ragasudha R. Discusses The Challenges Of Being A Woman IPS Officer

When asked about the challenges of being a woman IPS officer, she confidently stated, "You are equal to men; face the situation confidently. People trust women officers more." However, she emphasized that without family support, facing challenges becomes difficult. "I stand where I am today only because of my family's support," she added.

During her eight to nine years of service, she conducted three significant operations related to child trafficking. As SP in Parbhani in March 2023, she led the successful rescue of three kidnapped children from Telangana. After joining as DCP in Mumbai, she oversaw the rescue of nine newborns and dismantled a child trafficking racket, leading to the arrest of 32 accused. Similarly, she detected a child abduction case under Matunga police station jurisdiction, leading to the busting of a Karnataka-based gang. Recognizing her contributions, UNICEF and the Maharashtra State Commission for Child Protection honored her twice with the Bal Snehi award.

Sharing a message for women on International Women's Day, Ragsudha encouraged, "Be confident. Women are expanding their horizons and knowledge. They are mastering multitasking by balancing home and work, which makes me proud. Every challenge in life should be tackled with the same mindset."

However, she reiterated the importance of family support, stating, "Without moral support from family, this wouldn't have been possible. I am what I am today because of my family's strength."

Highlighting the growing threat of cybercrime, she advised senior women to stay cautious, as cybercriminals often trap victims and dupe them of large sums of money. "Remember, no investigative agency in India makes a digital arrest. If anyone calls claiming that you are digitally arrested, do not fall for it," she appealed.

She urged everyone to be wary of cyber fraud and, in case of any financial fraud, immediately contact Maharashtra Cyber Cell’s helpline number 1930 to potentially recover lost funds through bank transactions.