From gym reels to selfies in uniform, India's women cops are bringing khaki swag to social media

The Print

22-04-2025

The account belongs to Uttar Pradesh police personnel Kanchan Pandey, who has 99,900 followers on Instagram. Her feed is filled with reels of her dancing, walking in a police uniform, and even flipping her hair with flair.
In another reel, she appears in plain clothes as the caption teases, 'Do you also need vitamin K?' Then, in a dramatic, movie-promo style transition, she reappears in full police uniform, striking left and right profile poses. One word flashes on screen: 'Khakee'.
New Delhi: The popular Hindi film song 'Dhaakad' (powerful) plays in the background as a woman stands tall in a reel posted on Instagram—timestamped 2 am. Dressed in a police uniform, she exudes strength. The caption reads: 'Your safety is our resolution' in Hindi, and 'Bold women never give up' in English.
Full of glamour quotient, Pandey almost resembles a Hindi movie star. And she's not the only woman police officer with a social media presence.
Madhya Pradesh police constable Simran Raghuwanshi once dreamed of becoming a model, but her family was opposed to it. Instead, she joined the police force and has since also become an Instagram influencer
Earlier this year, the 28-year-old mother of a 4-year-old participated in a private beauty contest and won the title of Mrs Asia. On her Instagram, which boasts over 68,000 followers, she frequently posts videos of herself both in civilian attire and uniform, striking poses like she's walking the ramp, flaunting her aviators.
Speaking to ThePrint, Raghuwanshi said, 'I do this in my free time. I dreamt of becoming a model but my parents were strictly against it.'
When asked if senior officers ever advise her against posting reels and pictures in her police uniform, she said, 'It only becomes an issue if one puts up photos or reels in uniform showing or doing something that shouldn't be shown or done—like putting up reels in uniform lip-syncing to a vulgar song. As long as you're not doing anything like that, no one stops you.'
A new trend is emerging of women police officers, across ranks, amassing huge social media following. They post reels and regularly engage with the audience through motivational speeches and upload videos of their work out routine.
There are also fan pages for certain officers.
Despite being in custody after 17.71 gram of heroin was found in her possession, several fan pages dedicated to Punjab Police constable Amandeep Kaur have emerged—most of them surfacing just last week, following her arrest. Kaur, with a following of over 30,000 on her Instagram profile, frequently posted reels showcasing her Thar and luxurious lifestyle. Now, the investigating agency is set to probe her financial assets as well.
In the past, several female police personnel have also landed in trouble for posting reels in their uniforms or inside police stations.
In 2021, constable Priyanka Misra was reassigned to the police lines—seen as a punishment posting—after authorities took note of a reel in which she was seen brandishing her service revolver while lip-syncing to a Hindi dialogue comparing UP's notoriety with that of Punjab and Haryana. The dialogue also referenced young children picking up guns. Since then, Misra's Instagram account has been cleared of any posts.
'As police personnel, you may connect with people online so long as the information relayed is for the purpose of law and order and amounts to general public convenience. If one is writing in the public domain, it should ideally be limited to literary, cultural and scientific areas. As a government employee, one should desist from self-propagation, else one is liable for disciplinary action. A casual picture on social media may be fine as long as it isn't a habit, like putting up videos and photos repeatedly from the office and in uniform. This tarnishes the reputation of the police and is a sign of indiscipline,' said S.N. Srivastava, former Delhi Police Commissioner.
Also read: Just 8% of country's police officers are women, 12% in IPS, finds India Justice Report 2025
From powerlifters to bikers to funny commentary
A look through the social media profiles of women police personnel reveals a diverse range of content. While some share selfies and videos in their police uniform, others post workout routines, physical training sessions, and even footage of themselves riding bikes. Many also offer glimpses into their personal lives.
Alina Sawaden, a personnel posted in Sikkim, who goes by the Instagram handle 'LadyBikerCop' shares videos of herself riding along clean roads, surrounded by the lush greenery of the state. Her posts feature herself both in police uniform and in civilian attire.
Another police personnel who goes by the handle 'fit_surekha' regularly puts up videos of her intense workouts, from powerlifting to crawling and running. In her pinned post featuring her medals, she writes in Hindi, 'You have to be stubborn to win. Fear is enough to lose'.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Rongmei, a constable with the Assam Police, is a contestant on this year's MTV reality show Roadies. With over 25,000 followers, Rongmei shares workout videos and glimpses of her personal life on her social media.
Then there are those whose reels highlight the swagger that comes with being a police officer. Anshu, a head constable with the Delhi Police, has a video on her Instagram page showing herself first in civilian attire, followed by a transition to her police uniform. The dialogue in the video plays, 'Good kids become doctors and engineers. Do you know what bad kids become? They become police personnel so that good kids remain safe.'
In another edited photo with 'I don't care' written on her sunglasses, the caption reads, 'Putting up rogue stories doesn't make one rogue, friends. The world becomes small when the police are after you'.
Engagement & empowerment
These women also actively engage with their followers. For example, in one post, Kanchan Pandey is asked, 'Sister, how did you pass the physical test?' She responds, 'Daily running but increase one round every day.'
In a video posted by MP Police officer Sarika Rawat, she appears in uniform with the caption: 'Girls aren't dependent on any rose. They themselves are the gardens of this universe.' In the comments, a user asks her to create a guidance video on YouTube for aspirants of the upcoming sub-inspector exam, to which she replies, 'Okay, I will try.'
A scroll through the comments sections of such posts shows that these officers often respond to compliments, as well as greetings on festivals and national holidays. Some, like Raghuwanshi and Sawaden, also offer a subscription option.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
Also read: Delhi Police's newly formed 'Shishtachar' squad doesn't want to be 'anti-romeo'