Exalting the Imphal Thana

Peters Chongom *

124th Raising Day of Manipur Police at 1st MR parade ground, Imphal on October 19 2015 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam

More often than not the state police forces have been in the news for all wrong reasons and it may not be too vague to articulate that the general public had shoddy and grim perception of the police forces. As such the public police relation is far from being cordial and benign it is rather is opposite of it.

Besides, the police do not have high score with regard to the justice delivery aspect and a clear cursor to this fact may be cited of the public demand for CBI to investigate any sorts of matter surpassing the police as the latter is considered to be either ill equipped or less reliable or for that matter the reasons remains a recondite.

This is a clear pointer to the fact that the police do not have good rapport with the common masses. Per se, there is a wide gap of trust deficit that breach the common masses and the police. Inter-alia it can be plainly put that there is lot of assignment to be done on the part of the khaki babus and personnel so that this trust deficit is gradually mend.

Notwithstanding it may be too erroneous to paint all the police personnel and officers with same brush of ennui and apathy. Per se, there are quite many faithful officers who are worthy of the badge and dress they wear. Recently I had an opportune time to come face to face with one such officer whom I feel deserve some word of appreciation and plaudits.

It all unfolds as one of my close acquaintances was caught up in the road traffic accident near Uripok oil pump some three weeks back. It was dark for the time was already late in the winter night. I got a call from one unknown person stating of the accident. Without any ado I haste up to the RIMS hospital. It is here that I met this gentle police officer.

From the very first sentence he spoke to me I got an intuitive feeling that this man is true gentleman and my perception of him would turn out to be exactly as it is in the later part when we enter into negotiation with the other party of the fatal accident. As a matter of fact the said accident occurred between one FZ bike and a brand new i20 car and I am to represent the council of the bike victim.

Prima facie, it appears from all available sources and circumstantial evidence put forth from the accident spot points clearly that the guilty party of the two in this confrontation is the man riding the bike and whether I like it or not I am to represent the losing side in the contest.

The next morning I was summoned at the Imphal Thana and as a law abiding citizen I made myself available in the stated time and spot. As both the party arrived, the intense wrangling and repartee began. To be fair I admit that to the corollary that the onus of guilt mostly befall on us, the bike representative.

As such it was more or less expected that huge penalty would be imposed on us. To add to the existing woes, I was having some sort of apprehension that the police officer handling the case might entirely favour my opponent not to mention of the fact that I too have some inner conviction that I was fighting for a losing cause.

To put plainly, without any iota of doubt I too have the certitude feeling that the fault belongs to us (the bike rider in this case) in toto. To my surprise, the officer at the adjudicator bench the sub inspector) gave the judgement in such a manner that it moved my conscience to the core. His judgment was fair and candidly acceptable to us, me in particular.

It was composed of ethical wit and void of any prejudice and unfairness. There was not a feeling left in me to surmise that he have some sort of favouritism for one and abhorrence for the other. It was ethically fair and humanely acceptable. I still remember one line he said...

"We are human and not all matters needs to be seen in the prism of legality, but we need to also look at things from the humanitarian angle"

The inner crux of this episode will be too long to explain in this article but I just wanted to take a simple opportunity to express my indebtedness and gratitude to one such officer who uphold the duty of being in uniform and also having a heart that is just and condign. The officer in is none but sub-inspector Paonam of Imphal Thana.

I cannot say anything more than a simple thank you. You are a great asset for the police and the common masses as well. This has in fact added a new gloss to the feathers of police forces.

It is my prayer and wish that more and more officers follow your ethically sound judgemental path so that we can revamp our police system and restore the trust of the public.

You are a gem for the department and this incident has certainly given me a new hope that not all is bad in the police system. There is always some good sheep in the folk.

Jai ho Manipur police, plaudits and encomium to Imphal Thana.