Calcutta police’s popular martial arts training programme for girls and women will be virtual this time. Tejashwini begins on December 5.

Participants will have to log in through a link to access the five-day online workshop where they will be taught techniques of self-defence.

Officers involved in the project said the online course had been designed especially to train women in self-defence and help them remain fit. Girls and women between 12 and 40 years can join the programme.

“The master trainer will teach the techniques live from a stage. The participants will see the techniques and try them at home. It will be an interactive session. If anyone finds it difficult to understand any technique, she will be able to type on the screen and request the trainer to show it again,” an assistant commissioner said.

More than 500 women have been trained in techniques of self-defence in the three sessions of Tejashwini, which started in 2018. Many women had joined the training with their daughters in the past.

The city police will invite 250 applications during the online course this time.

The workshop used to be organised at the Calcutta police sergeants’ institute tent since its inception. It has been turned online this time keeping in mind the pandemic situation.

“Most of the Calcuttans are confined in their homes in the last eight months. So we decided to reach out to the girls and women through the online mode to keep them fit and ready whenever they have to step out again,” said a senior officer at Lalbazar.

Registration for the workshop will be open between December 2 and 4.

Women interested to enrol will be able to register through a link: www.kpsgtinst.org and get answers to their queries about the workshop through the WhatsApp number 9748438165.