Malegaon will have police museum soon

By Mateen Hafeez/TNN

Malegaon: This textile hub will soon be the first taluka in the state to have a police museum for itself.

Officials feel the museum will preserve items of historical interest and also project the police as a citizen-friendly force. The project, initiated by additional SP Anil Kumbhare, is part of a modernisation plan for the force. The museum is ready to be inaugurated by director-general of police P S Pasricha on 3 April.

Going around the museum will also be an educative experience. It will give visitors an idea of traffic rules, safety measures for senior citizens (through sketches and cartoons) and have an advisory of how to prevent crime. But getting pride of place will be a letter written by Mahatma Gandhi on 23 March 1910 to then Mumbai police chief Griffith.

“The memorabilia include evolution of the traffic system and details of the introduction of a uniform for the force, the first police patrolling (on bicyles), the first highway accident in the world, the installation of the first traffic signal, the first registered accidental death in the country besides crime statistics,’’ Kumbhare said.

The museum will be at the City Police Station that also houses police quarters, a new mess and the additional SP’s office. “We have also obtained some sketches and will have statues that show figures in uniform, including that of the kotwal in Punjab (from 1861), the ceremonial uniform of the police (1873), armed police uniforms in Manipur and MP etc,’’ Kumbhare said.

Citizens can come and interact with officials. A group is now being trained to explain the collections to vistiors.

(The Times of India, April, 2006)