A moustachioed man in khaki might spring to mind when one thinks of the police, but there is a quieter, more under-appreciated force working behind the scenes to uphold justice. A force made up of ‘specialists’ who are at times undervalued, underpaid and seen as outsiders to the system. Be it evidence collection, crime scene photography or convict counselling, these men and women work tirelessly, often while holding another job, to do their bit to ensure a safer society. THE WEEK profiles five such unsung heroes:
The pencil of justice
On August 22, 2013, five men, including a minor, raped a 22-year-old photojournalist at the abandoned Shakti Mills in Mumbai. Her male colleague, who was with her, promptly reached the N.M. Joshi Marg police station at around 8pm to report the crime. The police began work; around 2:30am that night, they visited a modest home in Kurla to find Nitin Mahadev Yadav, an art teacher known for his exceptional sketching skills. Without a moment of hesitation, the 48-year-old joined the case.
In half an hour, he was in a room with the male colleague of the photojournalist, and within three hours, he had sketched two of the suspects.
This story is from the December 31, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
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This story is from the December 31, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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