For that elusive Zen feel in a police lock-up

Wayanad: A lock-up, even when it’s not the rat hole that it is in most police stations, can be an awfully depressing place. Especially for those who are not repeat offenders. But with our fast-modernising police forces keen on projecting a better self-image, things seem to be changing.
Take the case of the lock-up at Thalappuzha police station in Mananthavady sub-division of Wayanad, which seeks to provide an ‘enlightning experience’. The moment one enters this lock-up, a huge mural painting of Lord Buddha in meditating posture is seen. A carefully-chosen aphorism of the Buddha is inscribed in Malayalam next to the painting: “When facing difficulties in life, patience is bravery. Instead of sitting hopelessly in the dark chamber of desperation, lead your mind to the light of hope”. Thought-provoking and, if necessary, remorse-inducing, you could say.
“The idea is to reduce the stress and anxiety of those being locked-up and also to tell them that they should not lose their self-esteem. We also want to make them feel that the police care for them,” said Mananthavadi ASP Vaibhav Saxena, who came up with the idea. The picture has had its effect on those locked-up too. “A couple of youngsters who were detained for drunken driving were visibly amused by what they saw when they were brought into the lock-up. This itself is a hint of what positive change it can bring in people,” Vaibhav said.
The idea emerged when the police station was asked to come up with suggestions to make the station better, as Thalappuzha is one of the 11 police stations in the state that will be competing for becoming the best police station in the country this year. The best police stations are chosen by a central team, and the recognition will be handed over by the Prime Minister himself during the annual DGPs’ conference. Situated in the Maoist-affected area in Wayanad, the police station, that began functioning in 1990 in a rented dilapidated building, recently moved to a new double-storey building.
“The committee to supervise the preparedness of the police stations suggested us to come up with newer ideas to make policing better. We got a local artist from the tribal community and explained the requirement and he did the job beyond our expectations,” Vaibhav said.