Ahmedabad: Policemen get farewell with band, baaja & rath

AHMEDABAD: The stick-wielding cops can dance with dandiya on roads on the tune of Gujarati garba. The legs, which march in parade, can also be shaken to dance on someone’s farewell party. This text message with video of cops performing garba, is making the rounds on social media and is being shared widely to show the fun-loving side of city police.
On June 30, two assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) of Khadia police of Ahmedabad city retired after reaching superannuation at the age of 58. Their colleagues in police station decided to give them a grand welcome despite the pressure of security deployment ahead of Rath Yatra on July 4 in the city.
Khadia police station inspector flanked by the two ASIs
The two ASIs — Kalusinh Dodiya and Vikramsinh Vaghela, both of Sanand had joined police service in 1983. They were asked to come for a formal farewell party on July 1.
“I was told to reach office as usual and was informed that other policemen would hold a farewell party. When I reached the police station, I saw a decorated chariot outside it. As chariots are quite common in Walled City and that too ahead of Rath Yatra festival, I did not pay any heed to it. But as I entered inside, my colleagues began cheering for me and made me and Vaghela sit on it. They took out a procession and danced around the chariots,” said Dodiya.
Another cop, Kishansinh Rathod of Khadia police station said that it was their police inspector’s idea to give a grand farewell to the ASIs in a unique way and everyone from constables to inspectors participated in it.