This is a personal reflection by UK Jayadev, who accompanied the project team to Bellary for a GSPP workshop between March 4-6, 2007.

When I was asked by the Project Coordinator Ms. Anasuya Sengupta to attend a workshop of the Gender Sensitization and People Friendly Police Project, a joint venture of the Karnataka State Police and UNICEF, I jumped at the opportunity, as apart from being curious about the work ethics of the police force from within, I wanted to experience at first hand how police personnel take to a workshop on a subject that is gaining more and more importance and relevance these days.

Intellectually, I was aware of the impact the word “Police” has on the psyche of any common person in our State of Karnataka – a mixture of awe, fear and unfounded guilt, from which I too was not free; but over the years I have developed, per se, a healthy respect for the Force.

My confrontations with the Police have been few and mercifully far between. When I was a school going lad in 1950s, I was once cycling down MG Road in Bangalore and in those days there was a traffic circle just opposite the Queen Victoria statue and while negotiating the turn I bumped into a pedestrian who had wandered on to the island. He fell down and I was truly penitent. The law caught up with me and I was frightened to see the man in Khaki looking at me with disapproving eyes and I blurted out in English: “Officer, are you going to hold an inquest now?” (I was proud of my English vocabulary, i.e. until then). He put his head back and guffawed loudly and said “You mean an inquiry? Inquest is when someone is dead”….I stood corrected by the Force and I marveled at his command over the language. The second time was when I was walking near City Market and some how or other the Police charged me with Jay walking ( I wasn’t, but he had to take some ‘criminals’ to court to fulfill his obligation of arresting a certain number of us!) and took me along with a few others to the Magistrate’s court. We walked all the way and the Magistrate without looking at any one of us fined us a princely sum of Eight Annas (half a rupee and a princely sum then). These were the only incidents which are worth recalling.

So one can imagine the total ignorance I have had all these years, with respect to Police Personnel and thus I was curious to see what changes have taken place in the realm of Policedom.

My travel to Bellary in the night train along with all the three resource personnel, viz. Anasuya Sengupta, BJ Ajith Kumar and Ms.Rovina Bastian was an introduction leading to the actual workshop.

On Sunday March 4, 2007 we assembled at the Office of the Superintendent of Police for Bellary where all the participants, some 65 police constables, head constables and assistant sub-inspectors (men and women) were present.

After the customary registration, a brief introduction to the project and the workshop was made by Project team members, after which the participants introduced themselves. This was to facilitate future sessions and to reduce as much as possible, the concept of hierarchy and stiff formalities prevalent in the Police Force.

The formal inauguration then took place with the SP Mr. Amrit Paul IPS lighting the lamp with other police personnel. Mr.Paul in his inaugural speech was very cogent and spoke off the cuff as it were and instilled into the minds of constables how they CAN effect a change in the society. He brought in some very interesting homilies and told a story involving a man trying to throw back fish washed up upon the beach; one should try to save at least one fish if one cannot save a thousand… He touched upon the crimes committed on women and children and how the police force can arrest such cruel happenings if only they show the will and tenacity to stem the rot that is widespread and rampant in the society. This was well appreciated by the audience. He beseeched the police constables to ruminate about such crimes and redefine their roles for reducing the crimes against women and children. This seems to have gone down well with the participants and set the mood for the ensuing three days of deliberations…

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