Common people think of cops as aliens, says IPS officer Bibhuti Dash
KOLKATA: Dr Bibhuti Dash, who retired as DGP from West Bengal cadre, was happy writing blogs about the inner workings of the police force.
His blogs, written in subtle and tongue-in-cheek humour, quickly went viral and it was not long before some alumni of his alma mater, IIM Bangalore, who were actively involved in the publishing industry, recognised the value in transforming his blogs into a book.
“My contribution to the book has been fairly minimal. I have just chosen the pieces but I have kept writing the blogs. That’s my first love,” said Dash, who launched his book ‘Police in Blunderland” on Friday at a café in Salt Lake, Kolkata in the presence of renowned cop Dr Amiya Kumar Samanta. Apart from other senior police officers including VV Thambi, ex-DGP, CID and Gangeshwar Singh ex-DGP, EB, and now member, WB Staff Selection Commission, Rajendra Nargundkar, V-C, Prestige University and many senior executives from the corporate sector were also present.
Dash has delved into serious topics like police reforms, why police in India is hated or why police in the country is still “a caged parrot,” and the persisting issue
of corruption.
However, his innate wit and humour serve as a unique and captivating lens through which he addresses these significant issues.
“There are a lot of things about the police which I have been privy to and can be revealed. These situations might be of interest to people,” said Dash, who has also adopted a village in Odisha.
Within the pages of the book, which draws inspiration from 40 real-life incidents, the focus extends beyond the realm of po-licing. Instead, its primary aim is to humanise police officers.
“My main purpose has been to entertain the readers. Common people think of cops as aliens. If we humanise cops, the attitude will change and that attitude needs to change. That is when the public and police will work together. That’s the effort I want to make through my book. The moment they come together, the end result will be much better… from crime detection, prosecution to conviction, the entire system will be better,” said the IIT Delhi alumni.
He also added that the cops need to laugh at themselves a little more.
Certainly, interaction with Dash naturally led to a discussion about the sensational Purulia Arms Drop Case, and he re-vealed that the book provides a detailed account of the successful operation to apprehend Peter Bleach, the main culprit in the case.
From his early years, Dash’s passion for writing had been a constant companion. He shared that his journey into the Indian Police Service (IPS) was somewhat accidental. However, once he embarked on this career path, he found immense fulfilment in facing and overcoming its unique challenges.
As of now, Dash wants to continue writing the blogs. Meanwhile, he has also completed a book titled ‘Practical Ethics for Managers’. A coming-of-age book on Indian policing might also be in the offing.
