Malabar Special Police
Encyclopedia
The Malabar Special Police
(MSP) is a paramilitary
unit of the State Police
of Kerala
, India
. This unit also trains new recruits and also helps the local police units to maintain law and order during emergencies. During emergencies, this unit forms the riot police platoons fully equipped with riot gear. This police unit is known for its extraordinarily tough training, and the high quality of its firing and military drills.
. Its initial personnel consisted of 80 Constables, 4 Native Head Constables, 4 Sergeants, a Bugler and a European Inspector, who were temporarily drafted into a special force to deal with periodical outbreaks for freedom by native Muslims Moplah
s. The squad was made permanent in 1897.
In the 1921 Moplah Revolt, Malabar
(the present districts of Kannur
, Wayanad, Kozhikode
, Malappuram
, Palakkad
and parts of Thrissur
) witnessed a wave of popular unrest and other law and order problems. Mr. Hitchcock who was then the District Superintendent of Police, South Malabar realized the imperative need to raise a special force, organized, armed and equipped on the lines of an Indian infantry battalion to deal effectively problems threatening public peace. This suggestion, strongly endorsed by the District Magistrate, was accepted by the Viceroy's Government on 30 September, 1921, which then sanctioned a strength of 6 British Officers, 8 Subedar
s, 16 Jemadar
s, 60 Havildar
s and 600 Constables to be formed into 6 companies of Auxiliary Police
.
This was the beginning of the Malabar Special Police. As they were run by the British government and often used to quell native disturbances, the MSP were seen as a symbol of colonial oppression, a view that continues to hold sway today. On the eve of the linguistic reorganization of States
in 1956, the MSP was divided into two. One half of the 6 companies and half of the Headquarters company fell to the share of Kerala and the other half allotted to Madras. Presently the MSP is headquartered at Malappuram.
Malabar Special Police
The Malabar Special Police is a paramilitary unit of the State Police of Kerala, India. This unit also trains new recruits and also helps the local police units to maintain law and order during emergencies. During emergencies, this unit forms the riot police platoons fully equipped with riot gear...
(MSP) is a paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
unit of the State Police
State police
State police are a type of sub-national territorial police force, particularly in Australia and the United States. Some other countries have analogous police forces, such as the provincial police in some Canadian provinces, while in other places, the same responsibilities are held by national...
of 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....
, 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...
. This unit also trains new recruits and also helps the local police units to maintain law and order during emergencies. During emergencies, this unit forms the riot police platoons fully equipped with riot gear. This police unit is known for its extraordinarily tough training, and the high quality of its firing and military drills.
History
Formed in 1884, the MSP were initially known as the Malappuram Special Police, having been quartered in MalappuramMalappuram
Malappuram is a municipality in the South Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 33.61 km2. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Malappuram district. As per the 2011 census Malappuram urban agglomeration is the fourth largest UA in kerala with a total population of...
. Its initial personnel consisted of 80 Constables, 4 Native Head Constables, 4 Sergeants, a Bugler and a European Inspector, who were temporarily drafted into a special force to deal with periodical outbreaks for freedom by native Muslims Moplah
Moplah
Moplah may refer to:* Mappila, an ancient Muslim community in Malabar, Kerala state, present day India* Moplah Riots, a series of revolts and attacks by Mappilas against Hindu landlords and British government officials...
s. The squad was made permanent in 1897.
In the 1921 Moplah Revolt, Malabar
Malabar District
Malabar District was an administrative district of Madras Presidency in British India and independent India's Madras State. The British district included the present-day districts of Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad , and Chavakad Taluk of Thrissur District in the northern part of...
(the present districts of Kannur
Kannur
Kannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...
, Wayanad, Kozhikode
Kozhikode
Kozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
, Malappuram
Malappuram
Malappuram is a municipality in the South Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 33.61 km2. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Malappuram district. As per the 2011 census Malappuram urban agglomeration is the fourth largest UA in kerala with a total population of...
, Palakkad
Palakkad
Palakkad , formerly known as Palghat, is a municipality and a town in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km2.The city is situated about north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the administrative headquarters of Palakkad District...
and parts of Thrissur
Thrissur
This article is about the city in India. For the district, see Thrissur district. For the urban agglomeration area of Thrissur see Thrissur Metropolitan Area...
) witnessed a wave of popular unrest and other law and order problems. Mr. Hitchcock who was then the District Superintendent of Police, South Malabar realized the imperative need to raise a special force, organized, armed and equipped on the lines of an Indian infantry battalion to deal effectively problems threatening public peace. This suggestion, strongly endorsed by the District Magistrate, was accepted by the Viceroy's Government on 30 September, 1921, which then sanctioned a strength of 6 British Officers, 8 Subedar
Subedar
Subedar is a historical rank in the Indian Army, ranking below British commissioned officers and above non-commissioned officers. The rank was otherwise equivalent to a British lieutenant and was introduced in the East India Company's presidency armies, to make it easier for British officers to...
s, 16 Jemadar
Jemadar
Jemadar was a rank used in the British Indian Army, where it was the lowest rank for a Viceroy's Commissioned Officer . Jemadars either commanded platoons or troops themselves or assisted their British commander...
s, 60 Havildar
Havildar
Havildar ) was the Military 'In Charge' of a Fort during the times of Maratha Empire. In the British Indian Army it was equivalent rank to Sergeant, next above Naik, and is still used in the modern Indian Army and Pakistan Army. The cavalry equivalent is Daffadar...
s and 600 Constables to be formed into 6 companies of Auxiliary Police
Auxiliary police
Auxiliary police or special constables in England) are usually the part-time reserves of a regular police force. They may be armed or unarmed. They may be unpaid volunteers or paid members of the police service with which they are affiliated...
.
This was the beginning of the Malabar Special Police. As they were run by the British government and often used to quell native disturbances, the MSP were seen as a symbol of colonial oppression, a view that continues to hold sway today. On the eve of the linguistic reorganization of States
States Reorganisation Act
The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 was a major reform of the boundaries and governance of India's states and territories. The act reorganised the boundaries of India's states along linguistic lines, and amended the Indian Constitution to replace the three types of states, known as Parts A, B,...
in 1956, the MSP was divided into two. One half of the 6 companies and half of the Headquarters company fell to the share of Kerala and the other half allotted to Madras. Presently the MSP is headquartered at Malappuram.