Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): At the time when fingers are being raised on police personnel for the growing cyber and serious crimes in Madhya Pradesh, a police station has been ranked sixth among 10 across the country for making the best law and order situation and winning the faith of people living under its jurisdiction.
The Union Home Ministry has nominated 10 police stations as the best for the year 2022.
This police station is called 'Chopna Thana' under Betul district of Madhya Pradesh in central India, a bordering district with two neighbouring states -- Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
Located around, 200 km from Madhya Pradesh's capital Bhopal, having dense forest area with tribal population, Betul, which is also the origin place of river Tapti, is located on the Satpura range.
The announcement in this regard was made by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) under the Union Home Ministry, during the All India Director General of Police Conference in New Delhi on January 20.
"Madhya Pradesh Director General Director of Police (DGP) Sudhir Kumar Saxena also joined the Conference and was informed about the nomination of Chopra Thana by BPRD," Ashish Sharma, the public relations officer at the Madhya Pradesh Police HQ, Bhopal, said in an official communication.
The selection process
The Union Home Ministry conducts an annual survey of all police stations across the country to select the best performing police station.
"The government selects best police stations on the basis of crime, atrocities against women and tribals, civil disputes, community policing and building amicable relations with trust between the police and the citizens living under its jurisdiction," an official press note of the state police said.
"At least three police stations are selected from each state and then a physical survey is conducted to monitor law and order situation, public redresser system. The survey also involves replies from all sections of people living under the particular police station, including women, senior citizens, religious and social communities."
Covid delayed the process for two years
This time, the process of selection was made after a gap of two years due to Covid-19 pandemic. DGP Saxena has congratulated district Superintendent of Police Simala Prasad, a 2011 batch woman IPS officer, who had taken charge of Betul in 2020, and the then in-charge of Chopna Thana, Abdul Raouf Khan, and all policemen serving under this police station.
Expressing his happiness, the DGP advised the policemen to give their best efforts to serve the people, and also expressed that the state's more police stations will do the same in the coming years.
Set up for Bangla refugees
What is more interesting about this 'Chopna Thana' is that, a large population of the villages located under its jurisdiction, are those who had migrated from Dhaka after the end of India - Pakistan war in 1971, and they had taken shelter here in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district.
S.R. Kapse (75), a resident of neighbouring village under Betul district, who retired from Western Coalfield Ltd in Betul, and now is living in Bhopal, having come to know that a police station of home district has been nominated among the 10 best ranking police stations in the country, said: "What is more interesting of Chopna Thana that around a dozen of villages were first established as shelters for a large number of people from Dhanka, which has now turned into villages. A large portion of the forest area was cut to provide shelter for the Bangladeshi refugees. They were Hindu Bengali community."
Going deep into memories of his youth, Kapse, who was a foreman in-charge in WCL in Betul, said, "I had joined WCL after completing my graduation in 1969-70. WCL unit is located in Pathakhera, which is located close to the Chopna Thana area. I remember that these colonies were established as 'refugee shelters' for Bangladeshi Hindu people, who were exiled from Dhaka after the India-Pakistan War in 1971."
Kapse added: "I can't recall the exact date of month, but I still remember that a large number of forest areas were cleaned to establish shelters for the people who have come from Bangladesh after the war."
HM congratulates Betul district police
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra also congratulated Betul district police for their commitment for serving the people and making the entire police system proud for being recognised among the best police stations.
"Madhya Pradesh Police have created fear among the criminals and faith among the people of the state with their hard work. Earlier, when people used to see police in local areas, they used to suspect them because there was 'gunda raj' and 'vasooli raj' (extortion) in Madhya Pradesh. This news is also an answer to those who always raised questions about the law and order situation to defame Madhya Pradesh police for their political gain," Mishra said.
