BAND OF BROTHERS

MADHYA PRADESH WILL SOON HAVE A POLICE BAND IN EACH DISTRICT, IN A BID TO MAKE THE FORCE MORE PEOPLE-FRIENDLY

- Rahul Noronha

The lively notes of brass and percussion instruments echoed through the Upper Lake in Bhopal, as the Madhya Pradesh Police Band performed for the locals and tourists thronging the popular spot on a Sunday evening in late January. This performance marked a new era for police bands in the state.

A month prior, just three days after being sworn in as chief minister, Mohan Yadav had made an unusual request during a visit to the police headquarters (PHQ) in Bhopal. Even as the top cops were busy reeling out crime figures and details of initiatives being taken to curtail them, Yadav directed the state police chief, Sudhir Saxena, to ensure every district had its own police band scaling up from just five currently to 55.