A POLICE STORY!

Shutter of eyes! He could make an obscure vision of three doctors hastily injecting and searing him. He suddenly fathomed that these were the ultimate twinklings of his life, his eyes portraying his family, his nourishing memories with them and his life so far.

Govindh pratap, was recognised in the Mughal empire as the kotwal(urban police officer). In those times, kotwal was responsible to maintain law and order of the empire appointing detectives and spies to know the petty issues and gather witness in order to tone down the crimes. As the Kotwal then, he had many responsibilities showering upon him beginning from the time the sun's rays kiss the earth. He had no different attire compared to the army then, with Armour. There worked a Faujdar under him at village level named Raghuvir Singh.

That was no approachable society for women in such fields then  but were confined to their households. There was peace when people trusted the kotwals and slept in the nights with no woes. But the day arrives when the songs of blues were thundering everywhere. That was when for the first time, East India Company(EIC) took its origin in India. After Auranzeb's reign, Govindh remained to be the Kotwal for the empire ruled by the successors and the kingdom disintegrated into small parts, kings merely fighting for supremacy among themselves.

Availing an opportunity by the means of disputes among the kingdoms, the EIC started taking control politically over them. After Bahadur Shah 2, The empire absolutely was under the supervision of EIC. Govindh was now working under the British and for them. There were new regimentation that the police were accountable to the executives, that is the British but not the people, unlike the Mughal regime. There was an upsurge in the crime rate as the rules were against Indians and favoured the British. It was then called the Imperial Police service.

The police were not given discretion and flexibility to be responsible enough. Govindh accuses someone and arrests him, but all he can do is to wait for his higher officials to consent on the report to decide if he is to be detained. He is let serve the police because he was rich and was the son of a zamindar. The British encouraged zamindars to take up higher posts while the native normal Indians, low graded jobs.

They encouraged zamindars as they would serve the British politely without going against them. The woes of the military and the police force grew with the atrocities of the British. Govindh's religious feelings were hurt when the greased cartridges made of tallow derived from beef and the pork were asked to pluck with their mouths before their use. Thus, all the Police and armed forces revolted against the British and this was the first war of independence between the British and Indians which integrated the feeling of unity among the Indians.

There was sorrow everywhere. The vigorous bawling of Indian women for their husbands, brothers, sons and fathers was echoing all over the battlefield. That was the heinous casualty ever happened in Indian history. Govindh was riddled with a row of five bullets and he collapsed blood spurting out from his body. He was taken to the hospital and to the ICU. He is no more.

His son Venkat Pratap stood upto his father's job after his cremation. After 1857, there were many regulations made in the legislation of the police and army. They made the posts liberal and planned to select the candidates by the way of exam. The test examining the physical and mental abilities of the candidate according to the Police act, 1861. So Venkat after serving an year, had to clear the exam according to the act and take up the service.

There was an attire of  a smirk and smoky mud colour uniform for all the police men. Pratap's family always served for the country since generations. Now the time comes for the Pratap's successor. It was a girl child! Though a girl, she was never distinguished in the matters of morale. Pratap was an honest person and dedicated himself to the work. He is a person endeavouring for the freedom of India though working for the British. Radhika Prathap was very intelligent. Since childhood she heard of the stories about freedom struggle, her grand father's death and all the stories about her family and country. She was brave. "Fortune favours the brave!" She appeared her schooling and higher education, education not being just books and study but she outwitted her co students in  the sword fight, horse ride etc. She was the leader for her bunch of friends and the community of tiny toddlers.

Venkat Pratap, was on the other side, preparing for the battle against the Indian freedom fighters while Radhika enrolls in the Indian police. Now there was a battle between the father and the daughter and at the same time, between the country seeking peace and independence, India and the country trying to protect and expand their territory, England. Radhika adopted non-violence as she was the staunch follower of Gandhi. In 1947, After all the efforts made, India was declared with independence. All the personnel of British, were retired or had to enroll for the posts of services again with the Indian authority. Venkat Pratap who was badly injured in the Chauri Chaura incident as it was his Police station lit up, took to his retirement and confined himself to bed.

It was the time when the Civil service exam and the police service exam were coalesced and was made one. The police service from the Imperial Police had come to be called as Indian Police Service. Radhika cleared the Civil services exam and became an IPS officer. Although there came many reforms in the Police institution, the roots ended up at the Police act of 1861. We still follow the rules and regulations according to the 1861 act, with few reforms convenient. But Radhika was not happy with the system function. She always wanted to serve her country in the best way. There were found many loopholes by her in the system. The system was en-rooted with corruption.

There was no proper police to people ratio. Police was given a responsibility of more than 1000 people. People never trust the police or are scared to go to a police station. The atrocities committed at the police station like insulting women, hush money from the complainants to report FIR etc are being remarked on an increasing trend. The system is rusted.  There is hardly a 10 percent opportunity for women in the institution thus neglecting their skills and knowledge. There are no proper investigation methods adopted. The police is being used by the politicians in their biased way not answerable to the people of the country. The archaic laws of 1861 are not justifying the current growing population and the crimes. The technology used is degradable. There must be efforts to be taken to emancipate our police system out from this horrid station.

Thus Radhika was on the way striving for the revival of police system and contribute her little self to the country and the people!