Beware Of the Cop in Disguise

To experience the working of police personnel of his district first hand, IPS officer Krishna Prakash of Maharashtra went about checking the ground reality for himself- disguised as a common man!

To protect the life and property of people, and go after the lawbreakers, is the primary responsibility of the police. However, we often come across a number of cases where the police officials are caught lazing around and paying no heed to the ones who come to them for help. Experiences of misbehavior and high-handedness by police personnel are also depicted in several stories- some fictional and others true.

To get a first-hand experience of how the cops under him work, the Police Commissioner of Pimpri Chinchwad in Maharashtra, Mr. Krishna Prakash decided to disguise himself as a common man and went to three police stations of his area. He chose Hinjawadi, Wakad, and Pimpri police stations to check out how the person works in the absence of senior officials.

What he encountered was bitter-sweet; more grey than all black of white, which life generally is, even in the best of conditions.

Mr. Prakash disguised himself to experience the work of his police personnel

SETTING THE PLAN IN MOTION

So one night Mr. Prakash, who is known for his good command over the Urdu language and Shayari (Urdu poetry), named himself ‘Jamalkhan Kamalkhan Pathan’, and draped himself in a kurta and skull cap and stepped out of his residence. He also wore a fake beard and a henna-colored wig to look his part. However, he didn’t do the whole act alone; ACP Prerna Katte, tagged along with him on the mission, acting as his ‘Begum’ (wife)!

The commissioner, posing as Pathan, made the first visit to Hinjawadi police station at 12.30 am. He claimed that some anti-social elements harassed his wife in Bavdhan while they were returning home after namaz and beat him when he opposed them. He gave the address located in Bavdhan about which he had been getting complaints about some youth there burst firecrackers late in the night. The on-duty officer sent a team to the spot, which found the cracker-bursting young men. The cops informed` Pathan’ about, it and immediately revealed his identity and appreciated their timely response.

The officer was accompanied by his (disguised) begum, ACP Prerna Katte

The next stop was Wakad police station at 1.30 am. There, the ‘Pathan’ informed a police officer on duty that his wife’s chain was snatched by a bike rider. The cop took details and informed the night round police sub-inspector and asked him to go to the spot. He also offered a police escort to drop him home. Once again Mr. Prakash told the officer about his identity and lauded his work.

At a nakabandi point in Wakad, he was going without wearing a mask when cops on duty caught him. ‘Pathan’ said that he was going to a hospital and in a hurry; he forgot to wear the mask. However, the cops asked him to pay the fine and then only go. The cops passed the test by the city police chief and he removed his fake beard and wig.

THE COP AT PIMPRI POLICE STATION

After experiencing the diligence of police personnel in the first two stations, the IPS officer went on to the third one – Pimpri. He made a call to the police control room seeking action against an ambulance driver for demanding Rs 8,000 for ferrying a COVID-19 positive patient (his neighbor) to a hospital. The control room informed the Pimpri police station for taking further action on the call. However, instead of going to the complainant, the cops asked him to visit the police station. The ‘couple’ hired a cab to reach the police station at 2.30 am.

The (disguised) couple told the policeman on duty that there is loot going on in the name of ambulance services for COVID-19 patients and asked them to register a case and take action. The duty officer promptly responded by saying, “It is not our job” and asked him to go to Sant Tukaramnagar police chowky.

The officer wore a skull cap and henna colored wig to keep his cover

Pathan told him that he has read about Police Commissioner Krishna Prakash saying that police stations can directly take complaints related to extortion in the name of medical facilities. ACP Prerna Katte almost cried requesting police to intervene. However, the officer on duty did not budge. Pathan revealed his true identity and took the officer to the task.

Furthermore, the officer found out that only junior officers were sent on a night round duty in Pimpri and instructed that Senior Police Inspector had to also go for the night round duty.

GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORD HOLDER

Mr. Prakash’s dedication towards his duties does not just help him in a better understanding of the police-public relationship, but it has also entered his name in the prestigious Guinness Book of World Records.

In 2017, Mr. Prakash had completed the Ironman Triathlon – widely considered one of the most difficult one-day sporting events in the world. The triathlon participants are required to complete a 3.8-kilometer swim, a 180.2 kilometer-long bicycle ride, and a 42.2-kilometer run – all within a set time frame of 16 to 17 hours.

The IPS officer receiving the Guinness Records

He held the record for being the first Indian Government Servant, Civil Servant, and Uniformed Services Officer, including Armed Forces and Para Military Forces, to earn the Iron Man title.