Another feather was added in the hat of West Bengal Police when three police personnel, including two women, from West Bengal Police won prizes in the first All India Police Judo Cluster Championship organised in the Sports Authority of India complex at Salt Lake from January 3 to 7.
Monimala Day of the Rapid Action Force and Kakali Dey of the Alipore Women Cell won the silver medal in Taekwondo while April Thapa of the Eastern Frontier Rifles received the bronze medal in the same discipline. Three other disciplines included in the meet were Judo, Gymnastics and Wushu. Five participants of Kolkata Police also won prizes. Altogether 30 national police teams, including RPF, CISF, CRPF, BSF, SSB, and ITBP participated in the five- day long competitions.
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Taekwondo being an Olympic sport, both Monimala Day and Kakali Dey selected it at their teenage. Monimala, of 2011 batch competed at the All India Police Judo Cluster Championship under the 62 Kgs category and Kakali, a constable of 2006 batch competed in the 73 Kgs and above category. Both of them have their goals set to compete at the Olympic Games and earn glory. Their family members are very supportive of their endeavour and encourage them in every step.
The All India Police Sports Control Board oversees such police sports events. Senior officials including ADG & IGP of the Armed Force Ranvir Kumar and IGP of the West Bengal Armed Force Tripurari Atharv supervised the event. Debobrata Dubey, the sports officer of West Bengal Police, said that their participants had practiced twice a day during the last three months before the opening of the championship. He said “our participants are targeting to go to the next world police sports meet slated to be held later part of the year.” Sudipto Sadhukhan of the Bengal Taekwondo Association was the departmental coach for their training. Entire event was jointly organised by the West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police very efficiently, in association with the Sports Authority of India.
