Madhya Pradesh cops catch a weekly break, for some a first in 38 years

BHOPAL: For the first time in 38 years as a police officer, sub-inspector Uma Shankar Mishra got a weekly off on Thursday and spent some quality time with his family. For hundreds of police personnel in Madhya Pradesh, it was their first compulsory weekly off — a manifesto promise that the Congress government implemented within three weeks of taking over.

Thus far, duty was seven days a week, all year round for MP cops. They could avail of casual leaves and earned leaves, but no weekly off. The government rolled out the poll promise on Thursday, two days after its notification on New Year’s Day.

Most cops who caught the first break went on picnics and outings with children — some were so elated that they even had their kids skip school.

“It feels awesome. I stayed with my family and even tried to finish as much pending work as I could. It’s the same feeling you get when you take a first vacation. I joined the force in 1981 and this is the first time that I got a weekly off,” Mishra, 56, who is posted at Habibganj police station, told TOI. “It helps relieve stress. I have my entire family with me today. My sons have grown up and there are daughters-in-law. Today, it really felt like family.”

One of the happiest days in my 33-year career: MP cop

Mishra wasn’t the only one rejoicing. ASI Rakesh Sharma, who is posted at Bairagarh, said he felt relaxed after years. “I have two children and we went to our ancestral home in Narsinghgarh. We will be returning early on Friday. This was the first off day, so the children also took an off from school. It was a nice outing and it feels great,” he said, adding that all this wasn’t possible earlier as cops were required to reach their police station by 10am and on most days returned home only around midnight.

SI Manoj Dave, who is posted at TT Nagar police station, said, “I joined police after retiring from the Army, and the conditions were nearly the same. It is after so many years of work that today I got an opportunity to relax with my family. We went to Sanchi with the children and some guests.”

Some police personnel in the last few years of their service see the new rule as a boon. “This was one of the happiest days in my 33-year career as a policeman. I joined police when I was just 18 years old. Till now, I never got a weekly off,” said 51-year-old head constable Harish Chandra Kaurav, who is posted at Hanumanganj police station.

DIG Bhopal Dharmendra Choudhary told TOI that 425 cops posted at different police stations were given weekly offs on Thursday.