Law enforcement in India
Encyclopedia
Law enforcement in India
by numerous law enforcement agencies. Like many federal structures
, the nature of the Constitution of India mandates law and order as a subject of the state, therefore the bulk of the policing lies with the respective states and territories
of India.
At the federal
level, the many agencies are part of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, and support the states in their duties. Larger cities also operate metropolitan police
forces, under respective state governments. All senior police officers in the state police forces, as well as those in the federal agencies, are members of the Indian Police Service
(IPS) and Indian Revenue Service
(IRS) one of the civil services.
The federal police are controlled by the central Government of India
. The majority of federal law enforcement agencies are controlled by the Ministry of Home Affairs
. The head of each of the federal law enforcement agencies is always an Indian Police Service
(IPS) or an Indian Revenue Service
(IRS) officer.
". They are frequently unofficially referred to as "paramilitary".
(BSF) is responsible for guarding India's land borders during peacetime and preventing trans-border crimes. It is a central paramilitary force operating under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
demonstrated the inadequacies of the existing border management system and led to the formation of the Border Security Force as a unified central agency with the specific mandate of guarding India's international boundaries. The BSF's paramilitary capabilities were used in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
against the Pakistani Armed Forces in areas where the Indian Armed Forces
was thinly spread; BSF troops took part in the Battle of Longewala
.
Although originally charged with guarding India's external boundaries, the BSF has more recently been given the task of aiding the Indian Army
in counter-insurgency
and counter-terrorism
operations. When the insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir broke out in 1989, the Jammu and Kashmir
state police and the thinly-deployed Central Reserve Police Force
(CRPF) struggled to cope with the spiraling violence, and the Indian government deployed the BSF to Jammu and Kashmir
to combat Islamic militants.
(CISF) is used to guard industrial installations around the country owned by the Central government as well as securing seaports and airport
s.
Recently CISF has started providing services to non government organisations. Infosys being the first one. many other private industries has also applied for the same.
(CRPF) is one of the largest paramilitary organisations in the world. Its main objective is to assist and help state and union territories' law enforcement agencies in maintaining law and order and to contain insurgency. It is also deployed as anti-terrorist unit in various regions.
(ITBP) are a paramilitary force responsible for security along the Indo-Tibetan Border, covering 2115 km. The ITBP is trained in mountaineering
, disaster management, and nuclear, biological and chemical disasters. ITBP personnel have been deployed abroad to UN peacekeeping missions in Bosnia
and elsewhere.
(NSG) is a commando
unit originally created for counter-terrorism and hostage rescue missions. Raised in 1986, it is popularly known as the "Black Cats" for the uniform worn by its operators. Like most military and elite security units in India, it is media-shy and the general Indian public is largely unaware of its capabilities and operational details.
The NSG draws its members from the Indian Army and various central police units. It is India's premier counter-terror outfit and is typically deployed in situations that would be beyond the capabilities of regular police units. An NSG team with a dedicated transport aircraft is always stationed at Palam airport in New Delhi, ready to deploy in 30 minutes. The NSG has also been increasingly tasked with protection of VIP
s. This role has expanded in recent years, as several politicians have come to view NSG protection as a status symbol. This has caused some concern among senior NSG officers and Home Ministry officials.
(RPF) is responsible for law enforcement on Indian Railways
. They maintain discipline on platforms as well as travel inside trains to keep passengers secure. Railway accidents are also handled by them.
(SPG) is the executive protection
agency
of the Government of India
. It is responsible for the protection of the Prime Minister of India
, other top officials, and their immediate families. The force was established in 1985 after the assassination of Indira Gandhi.
, in English "Armed Border Force", is a Central Armed Police Force deployed on the borders with Nepal
and Bhutan
.
(CBI) is India
's premier investigative agency, responsible for a wide variety of criminal and national security
matters. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941.
The Central Bureau of Investigation is controlled by the Department of Personnel and Training in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension of the Union Government usually headed by a Union Minister who reports directly to the Prime Minister
. It is India’s official Interpol
unit. The CBI draws its officers from the best IPS and IRS officers around the country. It is responsible for investigation into various crimes and national security. The agency specializes in investigating crimes involving high ranking government officials and politicians.
's premier financial agency, responsible for a wide variety of financial
and fiscal
matters.
The Tax department is controlled by the Department of Revenue in the Ministry of Finance of the Union Government usually headed by a Union Minister who reports directly to the Prime Minister
.The CBDT is a part of Department of Revenue in the Ministry of Finance. On one hand, CBDT provides essential inputs for policy and planning of direct taxes in India,at the same time it is also responsible for administration of direct tax laws through the Income Tax Department. The Central Board of Direct Taxes is a statutory authority functioning under the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963. The officials of the Board in their ex-officio capacity also function as a Division of the Ministry dealing with matters relating to levy and collection of direct taxes.
It is India’s official FATF unit. The Incometax Department draws its officers from the IRS officers around the country. It is responsible for investigation into various economic crimes and tax evasion.
(DRI) is an intelligence-based organisation responsible for the co-ordination of India's anti-smuggling
efforts.Officers in this organisation are drawn from Indian Revenue Service
(I.R.S.).It functions under the Income tax.
(NIA) is the central agency to combat terror in India. The agency is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states. The National Investigation Agency Bill 2008 to create the agency was moved in Parliament by Union Home Minister on 16 December 2008. The NIA was created in response to the Nov 2008 Mumbai terror attacks
as need for a central agency to combat terrorism was found.
It also deals with drug trafficking and currency counterfeiting.
(BPR&D) was set up on 28 August 1970 in furtherance of the objective of the Government of India
for the modernization of Police Forces. It is involved in a research work of problems confronting the Indian police, the training of different ranks of Police in India, and the introduction of technology at both federal and state levels.
On this recommendation NCRB was created in 1986 with amalgamation of the Directorate of Coordination Police Computers, Central Finger Print Bureau, Data Section of Coordination Division of Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistical Section of the Bureau of Police Research and Development.
There are four central forensic laboratories in India, at Hyderabad, Kolkata,Mumbai,Rajkot, Chandigarh,Pune and New Delhi. CFSL Hyderabad is centre of excellence in chemical sciences, CFSL Kolkata in biological sciences and CFSL Chandigarh in physical sciences. These laboratories are under the control of the Directorate of Forensic Science (DFS) of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The laboratory in New Delhi is under the control of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and investigates cases on its behalf.
Each state and union territory of India has a state police force, headed by the Commissioner of Police (State) or Director General of Police (DGP)
. It is controlled by the Chief Minister and Home Minister of the state/union territory
. The state police is responsible for maintaining law and order in townships of the state and the rural areas.
States such as Kerala
, Tamil Nadu
and Maharashtra
have taken steps to get their police force trained by advanced police training schools notably the Scotland Yard, Atlanta City Police of the USA and the World Police Academy of Canada
. The Tamil Nadu state police
is at the forefront of advancement with the Tamil Nadu Police Academy which now is seeking university status. Kerala Police
is also the first police force in South Asia, to adopt community policing for effective and pro-public friendly initiatives and action.
and Assistant Commissioner of Police.
The majority of metropolitan police forces are subordinate to the state government. The exception are the Delhi Police, which as part of the Union Territory Cadre are directly under the federal Ministry of Home Affairs . All other metropolitan forces report to their respective state governments.
are organizations which provide the state with policing in particularly violent or serious situations. Such forces are often involved with combating banditry
and Naxalite
s. Like the Central Armed Police Forces
, they are sometimes known unofficially as "paramilitary forces".
Each state police force maintains its own State Armed Police Force (known by names such as Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), Special Armed Police, etc.) which is responsible for emergencies and crowd control issues. They are generally activated only on orders from the Additional Commissioner of Police
, and higher-level authorities. The armed constabulary do not usually come into contact with the general public unless they are assigned to VIP duty or to maintain order during fairs, festivals, athletic events, elections, and natural disasters. They may also be sent to quell outbreaks of student or labor unrest, organized crime, and communal riots; to maintain key guard posts; and to participate in anti-terrorist operations. Depending on the type of assignment, the Armed Police force may carry only lathi
s or lethal weapons.
The Superintendents of Police (SP) are recruited every year by the UPSC (a wing of the central government) by an extremely competitive exam and are appointed into the Indian Police Service. The IPS officers are then assigned to a state force. Superintendents of Police undergo rigorous training for 44 weeks. The training programme also involves external invitees such as lawyers and management consultants. At the end of probation, they undergo an orientation training of few weeks at the assigned state's police academy.
Lower, non-managerial positions are selected by the state or central government and are trained at Police Recruit Schools. The duration of training for inspectors is roughly a year, and for constables is nearly 9 months. The training staff for these schools are drawn from the police force itself.
Unlike in many other countries, the various state police forces in India
extensively use SUVs. The Mahindra Legend
Jeep used to be the most common police car in India. In recent years, other SUVs have been employed by the police, such as the Maruti Gypsy
, Mahindra
Bolero, Tata Sumo
, Tata Safari
, Maruti Versa, Chevrolet Tavera
and Toyota Qualis. SUVs are known for their capabilities to move around in any sort of terrain.
MUVs are used by police in cities, including metropolitan areas like Delhi and Mumbai where Chevrolet Tavera
s and Toyota Qualiss are extensively used. Though most cities use SUVs and MUVs, some cities like Chennai have adopted sedans like the Hyundai Accent
.
Depending upon the state, police vehicles may have individual revolving lights, strobes or light bars etc. An extensive modernisation drive has ensured that these vehicles are equipped with two-way radio
sets in communication with a central control room. Highway Police vehicles generally also have equipment like speed radars, breath analysers and emergency first aid kits.
For traffic regulation and patrolling in cities, motorcycles are also used. Most of them were the Indian version of Royal Enfield
Bullet. Of late, other motorcycles like the Bajaj Pulsar
and TVS Apache have also started being used by the police forces. This is because of increasing congestion in cities where the heavier Bullets would prove to be unwieldy when compared to the nimbler handling the newer bikes were capable of. The bikes are provided with two-way radios, strobes and sirens & are generally painted white.
The weapons and equipments issued vary from state to state and agency to agency. The standard equipment for a constable
on their beat is the lathi
(Not to be confused with traditional 6 to 8 ft long ones)or baton which is generally made of bamboo
but recently polymer ones are also being issued. Indian police officers generally do not carry firearms when on regular duty, though they are always available at police stations. These include .303 Lee Enfield rifles(being phased out) 7.62 1A
Self Loading Rifles and SAF Carbine 2A1
Some special units in the state and federal level police forces may also have additional automatic weapons such as AK 47, A-7
, Vz. 58, AKM
, INSAS assault rifles and Bren guns. Officers of and above the rank of Sub-Inspector
are authorized to carry a sidearm, generally a 9 mm Browning pistol or a Glock 17. Recently, after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks Home ministry decided to issue a pistol to Head Constables too. Police commandos and newly raised SWAT units also uses Heckler & Koch MP5, Brügger & Thomet MP9
, AK-103
and M4A1 Carbine
is an unofficial group within the police force
of Mumbai
, India
. It consists of several high-profile officers from the Detection Unit. The squad primarily deals with members of the Mumbai underworld and other criminal gangs and carries out the elimination of criminals. At one point it was headed by Pradeep Sawant.
The Mumbai police
's Crime Branch is controlled by Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police, and has a force of approximately 1500 officers. The Detection Unit at the Crime Branch is considered most important, as it deals directly with the underworld and terrorists. Fourteen units, including the Crime Intelligence Unit, and the Fingerprint Unit, work with the Detection Unit. The expertise of Detection Unit is used controlling Mumbai underworld and Gang-wars.
This is a Tit-For-Tat technique used by the Indian police to kill those criminals who use loopholes in justice system to escape justice. Considered as Men of the Moment : Created by the police around 1997 to deal with the growing extortion demands and threat calls to builders, realtors, businessmen, Bollywood denizens—and also the bloodbath spilling over onto Mumbai streets as a result of inter-gang wars—the encounter policy was heavily dependent on men such as Nayak and Sharma. But they were just two members of the five four/five-man squads created with the blessings of then deputy commissioners of police Satyapal Singh and Parambir Singh, who had the task of gathering information about the underworld and cutting it to size.
The squads soon came to be associated with ‘encounters’, a euphemism for a situation in which a gangster is cornered, asked to surrender, ostensibly attacks the police or tries to escape, and is shot dead in retaliatory action. As the encounters increased, so did the popularity of the ‘encounter specialist’. Daya Nayak, Pradeep Sharma
, Ravindra Angre, Praful Bhosale, Raju Pillai, Vijay Salaskar
, Shivaji Kolekar, Sachin Waze
and Sanjay Kadam became cult figures, mythologised by the media and hero-worshipped by the common man. "In fact, through "Encounters" which are now known as "Police Operations", they and their key men like Police Inspector Daya Nayak and Sachin Waze
have wiped out the underworld from Mumbai and neighbouring Thane
district."
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
by numerous law enforcement agencies. Like many federal structures
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
, the nature of the Constitution of India mandates law and order as a subject of the state, therefore the bulk of the policing lies with the respective states and territories
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of India.
At the federal
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
level, the many agencies are part of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, and support the states in their duties. Larger cities also operate metropolitan police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
forces, under respective state governments. All senior police officers in the state police forces, as well as those in the federal agencies, are members of the Indian Police Service
Indian Police Service
The Indian Police Service , simply known as Indian Police or IPS, is one of the three All India Services of the Government of India...
(IPS) and Indian Revenue Service
Indian Revenue Service
The Indian Revenue Service , abbreviated as IRS, is the revenue service of the Government of India. It is a Central Civil Service...
(IRS) one of the civil services.
Central (federal) agencies
 |
 |
 |
 |
The federal police are controlled by the central Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
. The majority of federal law enforcement agencies are controlled by the Ministry of Home Affairs
Ministry of Home Affairs (India)
Ministry of Home Affairs , known as the Home Ministry or MHA, is an Indian government ministry. It is an interior ministry mainly responsible for the maintenance of Internal security and domestic policy.-Ministerial Team:...
. The head of each of the federal law enforcement agencies is always an Indian Police Service
Indian Police Service
The Indian Police Service , simply known as Indian Police or IPS, is one of the three All India Services of the Government of India...
(IPS) or an Indian Revenue Service
Indian Revenue Service
The Indian Revenue Service , abbreviated as IRS, is the revenue service of the Government of India. It is a Central Civil Service...
(IRS) officer.
Central Armed Police Forces
There are eight forces officially defined as "Central Armed Police ForcesCentral Armed Police Forces
The Central Armed Police Forces are the following eight police forces of the central government of India:* Central Reserve Police Force: The largest of the Central Armed Police Forces...
". They are frequently unofficially referred to as "paramilitary".
Border Security Force
The Border Security ForceBorder Security Force
The Border Security Force is a border patrol agency of the Government of India. Established on December 1, 1965, it is one of the Central Armed Police Forces. Its primary role is to guard India's international borders during peacetime and also prevent transnational crime...
(BSF) is responsible for guarding India's land borders during peacetime and preventing trans-border crimes. It is a central paramilitary force operating under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. This conflict became known as the Second Kashmir War fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, the first having been fought in 1947...
demonstrated the inadequacies of the existing border management system and led to the formation of the Border Security Force as a unified central agency with the specific mandate of guarding India's international boundaries. The BSF's paramilitary capabilities were used in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
against the Pakistani Armed Forces in areas where the Indian Armed Forces
Indian Armed Forces
The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. They consist of the Army, Navy and Air Force, supported by three paramilitary forces and various inter-service institutions such as the Strategic Forces Command.The President of India is...
was thinly spread; BSF troops took part in the Battle of Longewala
Battle of Longewala
The Battle of Longewala was one of the first major engagements in the Western Sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, fought between assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewala, in the Thar Desert of the Rajasthan state in India.The Indian infantry...
.
Although originally charged with guarding India's external boundaries, the BSF has more recently been given the task of aiding the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
in counter-insurgency
Counter-insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
and counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
operations. When the insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir broke out in 1989, the Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
state police and the thinly-deployed Central Reserve Police Force
Central Reserve Police Force
The Central Reserve Police Force also known as CRPF is the largest of India's Central Armed Police Forces. It functions under the aegis of Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India. The CRPF's primary role lies in assisting the State/Union Territories in police operations to maintain...
(CRPF) struggled to cope with the spiraling violence, and the Indian government deployed the BSF to Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
to combat Islamic militants.
Central Industrial Security Force
The Central Industrial Security ForceCentral Industrial Security Force
The Central Industrial Security Force is a Central Armed Police Force in India.It was set up under an Act of the Parliament of India on March 10, 1969 with a strength of 2,800. CISF was subsequently made an armed force of the Union of India by another Act of Parliament passed on June 15, 1983. Its...
(CISF) is used to guard industrial installations around the country owned by the Central government as well as securing seaports and airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
s.
Recently CISF has started providing services to non government organisations. Infosys being the first one. many other private industries has also applied for the same.
Central Reserve Police Force
The Central Reserve Police ForceCentral Reserve Police Force
The Central Reserve Police Force also known as CRPF is the largest of India's Central Armed Police Forces. It functions under the aegis of Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India. The CRPF's primary role lies in assisting the State/Union Territories in police operations to maintain...
(CRPF) is one of the largest paramilitary organisations in the world. Its main objective is to assist and help state and union territories' law enforcement agencies in maintaining law and order and to contain insurgency. It is also deployed as anti-terrorist unit in various regions.
Indo-Tibetan Border Police
The Indo-Tibetan Border PoliceIndo-Tibetan Border Police
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police is an Indian force conceived on October 24, 1962 for security along the India's border with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, border covering 2115 kilometres...
(ITBP) are a paramilitary force responsible for security along the Indo-Tibetan Border, covering 2115 km. The ITBP is trained in mountaineering
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
, disaster management, and nuclear, biological and chemical disasters. ITBP personnel have been deployed abroad to UN peacekeeping missions in Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and elsewhere.
National Security Guards
The National Security GuardsNational Security Guards
The National Security Guard is a Special Response Unit in India that has primarily been utilized for counter-terrorism activities and was created by the Cabinet Secretariat under the National Security Guard Act of the Indian Parliament in 1986...
(NSG) is a commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
unit originally created for counter-terrorism and hostage rescue missions. Raised in 1986, it is popularly known as the "Black Cats" for the uniform worn by its operators. Like most military and elite security units in India, it is media-shy and the general Indian public is largely unaware of its capabilities and operational details.
The NSG draws its members from the Indian Army and various central police units. It is India's premier counter-terror outfit and is typically deployed in situations that would be beyond the capabilities of regular police units. An NSG team with a dedicated transport aircraft is always stationed at Palam airport in New Delhi, ready to deploy in 30 minutes. The NSG has also been increasingly tasked with protection of VIP
VIP
VIP and V.I.P. is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:-In general:* Vacuum insulated panel* Values, Influence, and Peers, an anti-crime campaign in Ontario elementary schools* Variable Information Printing, a form of on-demand printing...
s. This role has expanded in recent years, as several politicians have come to view NSG protection as a status symbol. This has caused some concern among senior NSG officers and Home Ministry officials.
Railway Protection Force
The Railway Protection ForceRailway Protection Force
The Railway Protection force is an Indian Central Armed Police Force charged with protecting the Indian Railways.The strength of RPF is about 65,000.The duties of the Railway Protection Force include:...
(RPF) is responsible for law enforcement on Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
. They maintain discipline on platforms as well as travel inside trains to keep passengers secure. Railway accidents are also handled by them.
Special Protection Group
The Special Protection GroupSpecial Protection Group
The Special Protection Group is the executive protection agency of the Government of India. It is responsible for the protection of the Prime Minister of India, other top officials, and their immediate families. The force was established in 1985 after the assassination of Indira Gandhi. It is one...
(SPG) is the executive protection
Executive Protection
Executive Protection also known as Close Personal Protection or bodyguarding refers to security measures taken to ensure the safety of VIPs or other individuals who may be exposed to elevated personal risk because of their employment, celebrity status, wealth, associations or geographical...
agency
Government agency
A government or state agency is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an intelligence agency. There is a notable variety of agency types...
of the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
. It is responsible for the protection of the Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
, other top officials, and their immediate families. The force was established in 1985 after the assassination of Indira Gandhi.
Sashastra Seema Bal / Armed Border Force
The Sashastra Seema BalSashastra seema bal
Sashastra Seema Bal or SSB is one of India's Central Armed Police Forces. It is often referred to as a paramilitary force...
, in English "Armed Border Force", is a Central Armed Police Force deployed on the borders with Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
and Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
.
Central Bureau of Investigations
The Central Bureau of InvestigationCentral Bureau of Investigation
The Central Bureau of Investigation is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941...
(CBI) is India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's premier investigative agency, responsible for a wide variety of criminal and national security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
matters. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941.
The Central Bureau of Investigation is controlled by the Department of Personnel and Training in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension of the Union Government usually headed by a Union Minister who reports directly to the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
. It is India’s official Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
unit. The CBI draws its officers from the best IPS and IRS officers around the country. It is responsible for investigation into various crimes and national security. The agency specializes in investigating crimes involving high ranking government officials and politicians.
Indian Income-tax Department
The Indian Income-tax Department is IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's premier financial agency, responsible for a wide variety of financial
FINANCIAL
FINANCIAL is the weekly English-language newspaper with offices in Tbilisi, Georgia and Kiev, Ukraine. Published by Intelligence Group LLC, FINANCIAL is focused on opinion leaders and top business decision-makers; It's about world’s largest companies, investing, careers, and small business. It is...
and fiscal
Fiscal
Fiscal usually refers to government finance. In this context, it may refer to:* Fiscal deficit, the budget deficit of a government* Fiscal policy, use of government expenditure to influence economic development...
matters.
The Tax department is controlled by the Department of Revenue in the Ministry of Finance of the Union Government usually headed by a Union Minister who reports directly to the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
.The CBDT is a part of Department of Revenue in the Ministry of Finance. On one hand, CBDT provides essential inputs for policy and planning of direct taxes in India,at the same time it is also responsible for administration of direct tax laws through the Income Tax Department. The Central Board of Direct Taxes is a statutory authority functioning under the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963. The officials of the Board in their ex-officio capacity also function as a Division of the Ministry dealing with matters relating to levy and collection of direct taxes.
It is India’s official FATF unit. The Incometax Department draws its officers from the IRS officers around the country. It is responsible for investigation into various economic crimes and tax evasion.
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence
The Directorate of Revenue IntelligenceDirectorate of Revenue Intelligence
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence is an Indian intelligence agency.Even today, the organisation runs on skeleton staff even when compared to other intelligence agencies such as IB or state Police organisations.It comproses of officers of the Indian Revenue Service.However, its track record...
(DRI) is an intelligence-based organisation responsible for the co-ordination of India's anti-smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
efforts.Officers in this organisation are drawn from Indian Revenue Service
Indian Revenue Service
The Indian Revenue Service , abbreviated as IRS, is the revenue service of the Government of India. It is a Central Civil Service...
(I.R.S.).It functions under the Income tax.
National Investigation Agency
National Investigation AgencyNational Investigation Agency
National Investigation Agency is a federal agency approved by the Indian Government to combat terror in India. The agency is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states. The National Investigation Agency Bill 2008 to create the agency was...
(NIA) is the central agency to combat terror in India. The agency is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states. The National Investigation Agency Bill 2008 to create the agency was moved in Parliament by Union Home Minister on 16 December 2008. The NIA was created in response to the Nov 2008 Mumbai terror attacks
2008 Mumbai attacks
The 2008 Mumbai attacks were more than 10 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across Mumbai, India's largest city, by Islamist attackers who came from Pakistan...
as need for a central agency to combat terrorism was found.
It also deals with drug trafficking and currency counterfeiting.
Narcotics Control Bureau
The NCB is responsible for anti-narcotic operations all over the country. It checks the spread of contraband as well as the cultivation of drugs.Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D)
The Bureau of Police Research and DevelopmentBureau of Police Research and Development
The Bureau of Police Research and Development , was set up on 28 August 1970 in furtherance of the objective of the Government of India for the modernisation of police forces. It has evolved as a multifaceted, consultancy organization...
(BPR&D) was set up on 28 August 1970 in furtherance of the objective of the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
for the modernization of Police Forces. It is involved in a research work of problems confronting the Indian police, the training of different ranks of Police in India, and the introduction of technology at both federal and state levels.
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
The National Police Commission in 1979 recommended the creation of a "Nodal Agency" which would suggest a common format for maintenance of Crime-Criminal records at all the police stations in the country, with the same common format being utilised to create shareable databases at police stations and districts and at state and federal Level.On this recommendation NCRB was created in 1986 with amalgamation of the Directorate of Coordination Police Computers, Central Finger Print Bureau, Data Section of Coordination Division of Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistical Section of the Bureau of Police Research and Development.
Central Forensic Science Laboratory
The Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) is a wing of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs, which fulfils the forensic requirements in the country.[1] It houses the only DNA repository in South and Southeast Asia.There are four central forensic laboratories in India, at Hyderabad, Kolkata,Mumbai,Rajkot, Chandigarh,Pune and New Delhi. CFSL Hyderabad is centre of excellence in chemical sciences, CFSL Kolkata in biological sciences and CFSL Chandigarh in physical sciences. These laboratories are under the control of the Directorate of Forensic Science (DFS) of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The laboratory in New Delhi is under the control of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and investigates cases on its behalf.
National Institute of Forensic Sciences (NIFC)
The National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science (formerly the "Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science") came into existence on 4 January 1972 on the recommendations of a Committee appointed by the UGC to look into the applied aspects of education, training and research in the fields of Criminology and Forensic Science to commensurate with the growing needs of the country in general and the Criminal Justice System in India in particular. In September 1976, the Institute was constituted as a separate department under the Ministry of Home Affairs headed by a full time Director.State police
Director General of Police
In India the director general of police or inspector general of police is a three-star rank and the highest ranking police officer in Indian States & Union Territories. All DGPs/IGPs are Indian Police Service officers. The DGP/IGP is usually the head of the state police force in every Indian state...
. It is controlled by the Chief Minister and Home Minister of the state/union territory
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
. The state police is responsible for maintaining law and order in townships of the state and the rural areas.
States such as Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
and Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
have taken steps to get their police force trained by advanced police training schools notably the Scotland Yard, Atlanta City Police of the USA and the World Police Academy of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The Tamil Nadu state police
Tamil Nadu Police
The Tamil Nadu Police Force is the law enforcing agency / department of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is over 150 years old and is the fifth largest state police force in India. Tamil Nadu has a Police population ratio of 1 : 632.-Administration:...
is at the forefront of advancement with the Tamil Nadu Police Academy which now is seeking university status. Kerala Police
Kerala Police
The Kerala State Police is the law enforcement agency for the state of Kerala, India. Kerala Police has its headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital. The Police training college was set up by Travancore Maharaja in Thiruvananthapuram in mid 20th centuary. In 2004,a larger Kerala...
is also the first police force in South Asia, to adopt community policing for effective and pro-public friendly initiatives and action.
Organization
- Some state forces are organized into Police Ranges, headed by A Special Inspector General of Police(Spl.IG) or Deputy Inspector General of PoliceDeputy Inspector General of PoliceA deputy inspector general of police is a high ranking senior police officer in several countries.- India :Deputy inspector general of police or additional commissioner of police is a one-star rank in the Indian Police Service...
(DIG) or Additional Commissioner of Police, who control several Police Districts. - The Police District is the fulcrum of state police activity and each Police District of the state is headed by a Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police or Superintendent of Police (SP). In many states an SP is assisted by one or more Additional SPs.Generally a Police district is same as a revenue district of a state.
- The Police District is divided into Police Sub-Divisions and will be under the command of a Assistant Commissioner of Police or Deputy Superintendent of Police.
- The Police Sub-Division is made up of one or more Police Circles, and is under the command of an Inspector of Police often referred to as the Circle Inspector (CI).
- Under the Police Circles are the police stations, generally under the control of a Sub-InspectorSub-inspectorSub-inspector is a rank used extensively in the Indian Police, Pakistani Police and Sri Lankan Police, which is primarily based on the British model. It was formerly used in most British colonial police forces and in certain British police forces as well...
(SI). As per the various Indian laws, Sub-Inspector (and above) are the only officers who can file a charge sheet in the court.
Metropolitan police
In addition to the state police, major Indian cities have their own police forces which follow the Police Commissionerate System. The Chief of Metropolitan Police is the Police Commissioner. Reporting to the Police Commissioner are the Joint Police Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner of PoliceDeputy Commissioner of Police
Deputy commissioner of police may be:* Deputy commissioner of police , a senior police rank in Indian Police* Deputy commissioner of police of the metropolis, the deputy head of the London Metropolitan Police* Deputy commissioner of police...
and Assistant Commissioner of Police.
The majority of metropolitan police forces are subordinate to the state government. The exception are the Delhi Police, which as part of the Union Territory Cadre are directly under the federal Ministry of Home Affairs . All other metropolitan forces report to their respective state governments.
Traffic Police
Highway Police and Traffic Police in the small towns come under the state police, but Traffic Police in the cities come under the metropolitan police. The Traffic Police are responsible for maintaining the smooth flow of traffic and stopping offenders in the city or town, whilst the Highway Police are responsible for securing the highways and for catching speeding offenders.State Armed Police Forces
The State Armed Police ForcesState Armed Police Forces
The State Armed Police Forces of India are the police units for dealing with serious law and order situations requiring a higher level of armed expertise than normal. The State Armed Police Forces exist in addition to the ordinary police services of the various states.All states have different...
are organizations which provide the state with policing in particularly violent or serious situations. Such forces are often involved with combating banditry
Banditry
Banditry refers to the life and practice of bandits which the Oxford English Dictionary defines as "one who is proscribed or outlawed; hence, a lawless desperate marauder, a brigand: usually applied to members of the organized gangs which infest the mountainous districts of Italy, Sicily, Spain,...
and Naxalite
Naxalite
The word Naxal, Naxalite or Naksalvadi is a generic term used to refer to various militant Communist groups operating in different parts of India under different organizational envelopes...
s. Like the Central Armed Police Forces
Central Armed Police Forces
The Central Armed Police Forces are the following eight police forces of the central government of India:* Central Reserve Police Force: The largest of the Central Armed Police Forces...
, they are sometimes known unofficially as "paramilitary forces".
Each state police force maintains its own State Armed Police Force (known by names such as Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), Special Armed Police, etc.) which is responsible for emergencies and crowd control issues. They are generally activated only on orders from the Additional Commissioner of Police
Deputy Inspector General of Police
A deputy inspector general of police is a high ranking senior police officer in several countries.- India :Deputy inspector general of police or additional commissioner of police is a one-star rank in the Indian Police Service...
, and higher-level authorities. The armed constabulary do not usually come into contact with the general public unless they are assigned to VIP duty or to maintain order during fairs, festivals, athletic events, elections, and natural disasters. They may also be sent to quell outbreaks of student or labor unrest, organized crime, and communal riots; to maintain key guard posts; and to participate in anti-terrorist operations. Depending on the type of assignment, the Armed Police force may carry only lathi
Lathi
Lathi means stick and also refers to an Indian martial art based on cane-fighting. The word is used in Hindi, Bengali and various other Indian languages. The lathi typically measures 6 to and may be tipped with metal. It commonly used as a crowd control device by the Indian Police and other South...
s or lethal weapons.
Selection and Training
The recruitment process differs according to the level of the position, and direct entry (where an applicant does not have to start at the lowest level) is possible. The educational requirements increase with recruitments for higher posts.The Superintendents of Police (SP) are recruited every year by the UPSC (a wing of the central government) by an extremely competitive exam and are appointed into the Indian Police Service. The IPS officers are then assigned to a state force. Superintendents of Police undergo rigorous training for 44 weeks. The training programme also involves external invitees such as lawyers and management consultants. At the end of probation, they undergo an orientation training of few weeks at the assigned state's police academy.
Lower, non-managerial positions are selected by the state or central government and are trained at Police Recruit Schools. The duration of training for inspectors is roughly a year, and for constables is nearly 9 months. The training staff for these schools are drawn from the police force itself.
Transport
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
extensively use SUVs. The Mahindra Legend
Mahindra Legend
The Mahindra Legend is a limited edition four wheel drive vehicle based on Mahindra MM series jeeps built for the Indian Army. Only 60 examples will be built and owners will be chosen through invitation. The Legend is manufactured to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Indian automotive...
Jeep used to be the most common police car in India. In recent years, other SUVs have been employed by the police, such as the Maruti Gypsy
Maruti Gypsy
The Maruti Gypsy is a four wheel drive SUV based on the long wheelbase Suzuki Jimny SJ40/410 series vehicles.-History:It is manufactured in India by Maruti Suzuki. It was introduced in the Indian market in December 1985 with the 970 cc F10A Suzuki engine and while sales were never very high it...
, Mahindra
Mahindra
Mahindra may refer to:In People*Mahinda, the son of Emperor Ashoka and proponent of Buddha's teachings in Sri Lanka*Anand MahindraIn Companies* Mahindra Group...
Bolero, Tata Sumo
Tata Sumo
Tata Sumo is a multi-utility vehicle produced by India's largest automotive companyTata Motors. The vehicle was launched in 1994 and was one of the first passenger vehicles designed in India. The Sumo received an extensive facelift in 2004 and was renamed the Sumo Victa in face of competition from...
, Tata Safari
Tata Safari
The Tata Safari is an SUV produced by Tata Motors of India. It is the first SUV to be designed, developed and manufactured "entirely" in India.-Body and trim options:The SUV was first released in 1998 with a 2.0 litre Turbo Diesel engine....
, Maruti Versa, Chevrolet Tavera
Chevrolet Tavera
The Chevrolet Tavera is a compact MPV produced in Indonesia by Japanese automaker Isuzu Motors and in India by American automaker General Motors sold in ASEAN and Indian markets. It uses the platform of the Isuzu Panther, a diesel-powered multi-purpose vehicle sold in Indonesia...
and Toyota Qualis. SUVs are known for their capabilities to move around in any sort of terrain.
MUVs are used by police in cities, including metropolitan areas like Delhi and Mumbai where Chevrolet Tavera
Chevrolet Tavera
The Chevrolet Tavera is a compact MPV produced in Indonesia by Japanese automaker Isuzu Motors and in India by American automaker General Motors sold in ASEAN and Indian markets. It uses the platform of the Isuzu Panther, a diesel-powered multi-purpose vehicle sold in Indonesia...
s and Toyota Qualiss are extensively used. Though most cities use SUVs and MUVs, some cities like Chennai have adopted sedans like the Hyundai Accent
Hyundai Accent
The Hyundai Accent , or Hyundai Verna in South Korea, is a subcompact car produced by Hyundai. In Australia, the first generation models carried over the Hyundai Excel name used by the Accent's predecessor. The Accent was replaced in 2000 by the Hyundai Verna in South Korea, although most...
.
Depending upon the state, police vehicles may have individual revolving lights, strobes or light bars etc. An extensive modernisation drive has ensured that these vehicles are equipped with two-way radio
Two-way radio
A two-way radio is a radio that can both transmit and receive , unlike a broadcast receiver which only receives content. The term refers to a personal radio transceiver that allows the operator to have a two-way conversation with other similar radios operating on the same radio frequency...
sets in communication with a central control room. Highway Police vehicles generally also have equipment like speed radars, breath analysers and emergency first aid kits.
For traffic regulation and patrolling in cities, motorcycles are also used. Most of them were the Indian version of Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield was the name under which the Enfield Cycle Company made motorcycles, bicycles, lawnmowers and stationary engines. This legacy of weapons manufacture is reflected in the logo, a cannon, and their motto "Made like a gun, goes like a bullet". Use of the brand name Royal Enfield was...
Bullet. Of late, other motorcycles like the Bajaj Pulsar
Bajaj Pulsar
Bajaj Pulsar is a motorcycle brand owned by Bajaj Auto in India. The two wheeler was developed by the product engineering division of Bajaj Auto in association with motorcycle designer Glynn Kerr Tokyo R&D. Currently there are four variants available -with engine capacities of 135 cc,...
and TVS Apache have also started being used by the police forces. This is because of increasing congestion in cities where the heavier Bullets would prove to be unwieldy when compared to the nimbler handling the newer bikes were capable of. The bikes are provided with two-way radios, strobes and sirens & are generally painted white.
Weapons and Equipment
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
on their beat is the lathi
Lathi
Lathi means stick and also refers to an Indian martial art based on cane-fighting. The word is used in Hindi, Bengali and various other Indian languages. The lathi typically measures 6 to and may be tipped with metal. It commonly used as a crowd control device by the Indian Police and other South...
(Not to be confused with traditional 6 to 8 ft long ones)or baton which is generally made of bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
but recently polymer ones are also being issued. Indian police officers generally do not carry firearms when on regular duty, though they are always available at police stations. These include .303 Lee Enfield rifles(being phased out) 7.62 1A
FN FAL
The Fusil Automatique Léger or FAL is a self-loading, selective fire battle rifle produced by the Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal . During the Cold War it was adopted by many North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries, with the notable exception of the United States...
Self Loading Rifles and SAF Carbine 2A1
Sterling submachine gun
The Sterling submachine gun is a British submachine gun which was in service with the British Army from 1944 until 1994, when it was phased out with the introduction of the L85A1 assault rifle.-History:...
Some special units in the state and federal level police forces may also have additional automatic weapons such as AK 47, A-7
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
, Vz. 58, AKM
AKM
The AKM is a 7.62mm assault rifle designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is an upgraded version of the AK-47 rifle and was developed in the 1950s....
, INSAS assault rifles and Bren guns. Officers of and above the rank of Sub-Inspector
Sub-inspector
Sub-inspector is a rank used extensively in the Indian Police, Pakistani Police and Sri Lankan Police, which is primarily based on the British model. It was formerly used in most British colonial police forces and in certain British police forces as well...
are authorized to carry a sidearm, generally a 9 mm Browning pistol or a Glock 17. Recently, after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks Home ministry decided to issue a pistol to Head Constables too. Police commandos and newly raised SWAT units also uses Heckler & Koch MP5, Brügger & Thomet MP9
Brügger & Thomet MP9
The Brügger & Thomet MP9 is a machine pistol designed and manufactured by Brügger & Thomet of Switzerland. The MP9 is a selective-fire 9x19mm Parabellum caliber machine pistol. It uses 15, 20, 25, 30 round transparent polymer detachable box magazines...
, AK-103
AK-103
The AK-103 is a modern, Russian-designed version of the famous AKM assault rifle, chambered for the 7.62×39mm M43 round. It combines the AKM design with developments from the AK-74 and AK-74M, with the use of plastics to replace metal or wooden components wherever possible to reduce overall weight...
and M4A1 Carbine
M4 Carbine
The M4 carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the original AR-15 designed by Eugene Stoner and made by ArmaLite. It is a shorter and lighter variant of the M16A2 assault rifle, with 80% parts commonality.It is a gas-operated,...
Encounter Squads
The Mumbai Encounter SquadMumbai Encounter Squad
The Mumbai Encounter Squad was an unofficial group within the police force of Mumbai, which killed criminals in "encounters".It consisted of several high-profile officers from the Detection Unit. The squad primarily dealt with members of the Mumbai underworld and other criminal gangs and carried...
is an unofficial group within the police force
Mumbai Police
The Mumbai Police is the police force of the city of Mumbai, India. It has the primary responsibilities of law enforcement and investigation within the limits of Mumbai. The department's motto is ""...
of Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It consists of several high-profile officers from the Detection Unit. The squad primarily deals with members of the Mumbai underworld and other criminal gangs and carries out the elimination of criminals. At one point it was headed by Pradeep Sawant.
The Mumbai police
Mumbai Police
The Mumbai Police is the police force of the city of Mumbai, India. It has the primary responsibilities of law enforcement and investigation within the limits of Mumbai. The department's motto is ""...
's Crime Branch is controlled by Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police, and has a force of approximately 1500 officers. The Detection Unit at the Crime Branch is considered most important, as it deals directly with the underworld and terrorists. Fourteen units, including the Crime Intelligence Unit, and the Fingerprint Unit, work with the Detection Unit. The expertise of Detection Unit is used controlling Mumbai underworld and Gang-wars.
This is a Tit-For-Tat technique used by the Indian police to kill those criminals who use loopholes in justice system to escape justice. Considered as Men of the Moment : Created by the police around 1997 to deal with the growing extortion demands and threat calls to builders, realtors, businessmen, Bollywood denizens—and also the bloodbath spilling over onto Mumbai streets as a result of inter-gang wars—the encounter policy was heavily dependent on men such as Nayak and Sharma. But they were just two members of the five four/five-man squads created with the blessings of then deputy commissioners of police Satyapal Singh and Parambir Singh, who had the task of gathering information about the underworld and cutting it to size.
The squads soon came to be associated with ‘encounters’, a euphemism for a situation in which a gangster is cornered, asked to surrender, ostensibly attacks the police or tries to escape, and is shot dead in retaliatory action. As the encounters increased, so did the popularity of the ‘encounter specialist’. Daya Nayak, Pradeep Sharma
Pradeep Sharma
Pradeep Sharma is a serving officer in the police force of Mumbai, India. Sharma attained notability as an "encounter specialist" with the Mumbai Encounter Squad and was involved with the deaths of as many as 112 criminals...
, Ravindra Angre, Praful Bhosale, Raju Pillai, Vijay Salaskar
Vijay Salaskar
Vijay Salaskar was a Senior Police Inspector and encounter specialist serving with the Mumbai police. He was widely credited with killing 75–80 criminals in encounters — most of these were members of the Arun Gawli gang...
, Shivaji Kolekar, Sachin Waze
Sachin Waze
Sachin Hindurao Vaze is a former police officer in the Maharashtra Police Force of India. Vaze is known as an "encounter specialist" with the Mumbai Encounter Squad and was involved with the deaths of as many as 63 criminals. Vaze joined Maharashtra Police Force in 1990 and he resigned on 30...
and Sanjay Kadam became cult figures, mythologised by the media and hero-worshipped by the common man. "In fact, through "Encounters" which are now known as "Police Operations", they and their key men like Police Inspector Daya Nayak and Sachin Waze
Sachin Waze
Sachin Hindurao Vaze is a former police officer in the Maharashtra Police Force of India. Vaze is known as an "encounter specialist" with the Mumbai Encounter Squad and was involved with the deaths of as many as 63 criminals. Vaze joined Maharashtra Police Force in 1990 and he resigned on 30...
have wiped out the underworld from Mumbai and neighbouring Thane
Thane
Thane , is a city in Maharashtra, India, part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, northeastern suburb of Mumbai at the head of the Thane Creek. It is the administrative headquarters of Thane district. On 16 April 1853, G.I.P...
district."
See also
- Indian Police ServiceIndian Police ServiceThe Indian Police Service , simply known as Indian Police or IPS, is one of the three All India Services of the Government of India...
- Crime in IndiaCrime in IndiaCrime is present in various forms in India. Organized crime include drug trafficking, gunrunning, money laundering, extortion, murder for hire, fraud, human trafficking and poaching. Many criminal operations engage in black marketeering, political violence, religiously motivated violence,...
- Paramilitary forces of India
- Indian military