https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

The Connection between Foot Patrolling and Staying Fit

Combining policing and health together, IPS Lohit Matani is doing his best to fight crimes and keeping people indoors in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
Indian Masterminds Stories

Nagpur rates quite high on the crime charts, and the ongoing pandemic resulting in further pressure on the police to check peoples’ movements have overstretched the work of the police. To come to grips with the situation, the Zonal DCP of Nagpur, Mr. Lohit Matani has devised a pattern of intense foot patrolling and occasional route marches in congested areas and slums, especially, during evening hours, to keep criminals at bay and check the notorious ones who roam around aimlessly, breaking Covid19 guidelines.

In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Matani talked in detail about his plan and how it has helped the police.

Mr. Matani checking vehicle of people roaming around aimlessly

INCREASED CRIME RATE DURING LOCKDOWN

With a majority of Nagpur youth working in malls, salons, marriage halls, small shops, etc. the Covid19 lockdown rendered them unemployed. This corresponded with a rise in the crime rate here.

“Murders and serious offenses started happening for minor reasons. Our crime rate increased by 100% in 2020, serious offenses increased by 400%, and the usual policing and actions didn’t work anymore,” Mr. Matani told Indian Masterminds.

The officer and his team mapping every nook and corner of the region

Therefore, the officer tried identifying the time during which crime reports were the highest. He figured out that the crimes were at their peak between 7 PM-10 PM daily and was increasing on weekends.

“Since the area is particularly small, the presence of police walking around on foot would instill a sense of fear among the criminals, thereby reducing their activities,” he held.

Night patrolling has been beneficial to them

KEEPING THE PEOPLE INDOORS

Furthermore, the IPS officer realized that keeping a check on their homes and seizing any potential weapons would further prevent any crime.

He realized that there is no proper lockdown in slum areas. Everyone tends to roam outside. With his patrolling activity, he wished to check people and instill the fear of taking action against them, if anyone was found roaming aimlessly.

Searching for weapons in a potential criminal’s house

“Our whole aim was to disperse crowds breaking Covid guidelines and this could only be possible if we moved around on foot in narrow lanes and crossroads, where we usually found people gathered and chilling out in groups,” Mr. Matani told Indian Masterminds.

Through this technique, the DCP is able to keep a check on people and cease them from gathering in groups on the streets.

The officer keeping a check on the notorious ones

AN ADDITIONAL HEALTH BENEFIT

A supplementary benefit of patrolling on foot daily for 10-15 kilometers is that it improves the health and physical strength of the police officers.

“While trying to impose lockdown and fighting crimes, we tend to overlook our physical and mental health but the foot patrolling does good in this department and helps us keep a check on it,” stated the officer.

Walking for so long keeps them healthy

LEADING THE PACK

Where Mr. Matani could have easily sat at home and enjoyed his weekends, he chose to sacrifice enjoyment and rest to patrol on foot on the streets thereby strengthening his connection with the police force.

“Walking along with their leader motivates the police officials as well and helps us in interacting and understanding each other in a better manner. This also helps me in making decisions regarding the changes required for improvement,” he told Indian Masterminds.

In this way, the officer is able to give his entire time to his work and can improve his leadership qualities.

The officer imposing lockdown restrictions

SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVE

Talking about the success of his idea, Mr. Matani pointed out that the crime rate has decreased quite a bit in the last 15 days.

“Street crimes have decreased by a lot, although household crimes still prevail, we’re working on these too,” he says.

Now that the public watches police moving on foot from one place to another and catching criminals in their act, they feel relatively safer in their homes and on the streets. Mr. Matani is killing several birds with one stone by interacting with people, controlling crime, maintaining Covid guidelines, and improving their own health- all by walking on foot.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
IAS Ashwani Kumar
Assam’s Bold Bet on Local Talent: IAS Ashwani Kumar’s Vision for a Digital Assam
Haryana Jungle Safari
Haryana’s Mega Jungle Safari Project Moves Closer to Reality; Phase-I Design Finalised
SBK Singh IPS CP
Delhi Police Commissioner S B K Singh Bans Aerial Platforms from August 2 to 16 for Security Reasons
IPS-logo-resized_new
10 Senior Cops Get New Roles In Bihar Police; DG Jitendra Kumar Gets Additional Charge of B-SAP
Indian Forest Services IFS officer
Jharkhand IFS Rajneesh Kumar Transferred Amid Ongoing Legal Proceedings - Details Inside
Uttar Pradesh UP Government
17 Review Officers Transferred in Uttar Pradesh Secretariat Administration Reshuffle - Details Inside
IFS-forest-resized
6 IFS Officers Transferred in Odisha to Strengthen Environmental Administration, Jagayandatt Pati Made RCCF, Koraput Circle
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services IAS logo
4 Young IAS Officers Reshuffled in Uttarakhand, Rahul Anand Made Joint Magistrate, Dehradun
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
How IAS Karn Satyarthi Transformed Gumla Through Empathy and Innovation
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi’s Take on Corruption, Reform, and Duty
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
What Most Indians Don't Know About Jim Corbett
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
BPSC Bihar police
From Lantern Light to Police Uniform: How Praveen Kumar from a Small Bihar Village Cracked BPSC to Become SDPO
From a lantern-lit village in Bihar to becoming an SDPO, Praveen Kumar's journey is a testament to resilience,...
IAS Priyansha Garg
Why Mindset Matters: IAS Priyansha Garg’s Mental Health Mantra for UPSC
After two failed prelims, Priyansha Garg cracked UPSC with AIR 31 in her fourth attempt, proving how...
Ashish Akshat
From Setback to State Topper: How Ashish Akshat Topped JPSC While Working Full-Time
Ashish Akshat from Dhanbad topped JPSC 2023, proving that resilience, discipline, and family support...
Social Media
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve: From India’s First Sanctuary to a Tiger Conservation Success Story | International Tiger Day Special
IAS Supriya Sahu Hails Mudumalai's Role in Tiger Conservation on Tiger Day. Declared in 1940, Now Among...
Mangroves
Mangroves: Nature’s Shield Against Disasters, Says Officer Parveen Kaswan on Mangroves Day - Watch His Post Here
Mangroves, with their dense, interlaced root systems, form a mesh-like structure that serves as a buffer...
Retired IPS Inderjit Singh Sidhu
Purpose Doesn’t Retire: How 88-Year-Old Retired DIG Becomes Chandigarh’s ‘Quiet Warrior’ of Cleanliness
Inderjit Singh Sidhu’s Dawn Patrol Earns Applause, Mahindra’s Praise for a Man Who Chose Action Over...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
IAS Ashwani Kumar
Assam’s Bold Bet on Local Talent: IAS Ashwani Kumar’s Vision for a Digital Assam
Haryana Jungle Safari
Haryana’s Mega Jungle Safari Project Moves Closer to Reality; Phase-I Design Finalised
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT