Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh police are now adopting a simpler vocabulary, replacing older legal terms with more common Hindi words.
For example, instead of saying an officer was "non-present" or "gair haazir," they will now say "absent" or "anupasthit." Similarly, "murder" will be referred to as "hatya" instead of "qatl," and "investigation" will be termed "anusandhan" rather than "janch-partal."
These changes are part of a vocabulary update implemented by the MP Government, intended to make legal language more understandable for the public.
A total of 675 terms in the MP police dictionary have been revised. Previously, many of these terms came from Persian, Urdu, or English, which often created confusion among the public. Now, simple Hindi words will replace them to bridge the gap between legal language and everyday speech.
Legal expert Ankit Jain commented on the shift, saying that many old Persian or Mughal-era terms are unfamiliar to the general public, which affects understanding. With the new dictionary, these complex terms are being phased out in favor of simple Hindi alternatives, making police language more relatable.
Local businessmen like Gaurav Khandelwal and Radhe also shared their thoughts, stating that these changes make the police’s language easier to understand for everyone. Radhe pointed out that since India has moved beyond both Mughal and British rule, it’s appropriate to use more Hindi terms in official communication.
As the police update their language, some still wonder when legal systems will also improve in curbing crime effectively. Meanwhile, the new terms have already been added to the official police dictionary, with the goal of making communication clearer and more accessible.
