During my time as Deputy Commissioner of Police for the 5th Battalion of the Kolkata Armed Police from 2012 to 2015, I faced a variety of challenges and responsibilities. Among these experiences, one incident is particularly memorable, not only as a significant professional achievement but also as a profoundly rewarding personal moment. This is the account of how I supported the family of a missing constable, ensuring they received the entitlements they were rightfully owed, ultimately transforming their lives for the better.

During my second year in office, I learned about a constable named Surendra Pandey, who hailed from Bihar and had been missing for more than seven years while stationed with the 5th Battalion of the Kolkata Armed Police in the Ultadanga area under Maniktala police station. This revelation was troubling, as it became clear that his family had been left to fend for themselves without any financial assistance. As a result of his disappearance, his salary was halted, and all potential service benefits were frozen, leading to a desperate situation where the threat of starvation loomed over them.

Despite their grave circumstance, Surendra Pandey's family had not sought my help. This silence may have stemmed from a lack of awareness about their options or diminished hope in the police department, likely influenced by their unfortunate past experiences. Their plight was heartbreaking, with no pension or support to alleviate their dire financial struggle, leaving them in a state of despair.

Determined to rectify this injustice, I resolved to take proactive measures. I reached out to another constable hailing from Bihar, recognizing that their shared cultural and linguistic backgrounds would facilitate better communication and understanding with the family of the missing constable. I assigned him the important task of locating Surendra Pandey's family and persuading them to file a petition for the family pension and other benefits. As an incentive for successful completion of this mission, which was essential for the family's survival, I promised him a generous reward.

The constable I entrusted with this responsibility took it very seriously. Through diligent effort and local connections, he was able to locate the family in a district of Bihar using the address listed in the missing constable's service book. He discovered that they were living in dire circumstances, struggling financially without any support from the police department. While convincing them to travel to Kolkata to submit their petition was a challenge, he persevered, fuelled by the incentive of a reward and a genuine desire to assist those in need.

Upon the family's arrival in Kolkata, I took it upon myself to ensure they received the highest level of respect and dignity. They provided the necessary petition, which I meticulously reviewed. This process was crucial as I understood that any bureaucratic delays or missteps could potentially revert the family back to their dire circumstances.

As I scrutinized the petition, I was reminded of a significant Supreme Court ruling that determined a person missing for over seven years could be presumed dead. This precedent played a vital role in our case, offering a legal foundation to advance the family's claims. Citing this Supreme Court order, I issued an order for the regularization of the pension and the disbursement of all service benefits to the constable's wife, assuming the missing constable was deceased. The date on which the missing person's report was filed at the local police station was deemed the date he went missing.

I made a deliberate choice not to notify my direct supervisor in advance about utilising this order due to concerns about potential complications in my work, especially as I was also the Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO). My past experiences taught me that higher-level bureaucratic procedures could often complicate or delay straightforward cases. I was worried that any postponement would further impact the family, who had already faced significant hardships. Trusting my judgment and the legal authority of the Supreme Court's decision, I moved forward with the order to disburse pension and other benefits to the wife of the missing constable. Later, I recounted this episode in my Performance Appraisal Report submitted to the senior officers of the police department.

To my great relief and satisfaction, the local treasury officer accepted the order without any issues or complications. The family began to receive the pension promptly along with other service benefits. Witnessing the positive change in their lives was immensely rewarding. The constable's wife, who had been struggling to care for her children, could finally experience a sense of relief. The newfound financial stability brought her a sense of security and renewed hope for the future.

Upon reflecting on this experience, I came to understand that the nature of roles and responsibilities often transcends mere routine tasks. They involve empathy, compassion, and the bravery to make choices that, while they may not always adhere to established procedures, are ultimately just and humane. I experienced a deep sense of fulfilment, feeling that perhaps a greater force had directed me toward this noble endeavour. It was humbling to acknowledge that even with many capable officers who had come before me, it was during my time that the solution was discovered and put into action.

This incident reaffirmed my conviction in the significance of compassionate leadership. As public servants, our primary responsibility is to serve the community, particularly those who are vulnerable and silenced. It also underscored the necessity of effectively understanding and employing legal frameworks to ensure that justice prevails.

In summary, the narrative of Constable Surendra Pandey's family serves as a poignant reminder of the weighty responsibilities that accompany power. It urges those in authority to look beyond the immediate and obvious, to identify those in need, and to utilize every available resource to foster positive change. The success of this initiative lay not only in the financial support offered but also in the restoration of dignity and hope to a family on the edge of despair. This experience was a powerful lesson in the true meaning of public service, one that will resonate with me for the duration of my career and life.

Written By: Md.Imran Wahab, IPS, IGP, Provisioning, West Bengal
Email: [email protected], Ph no: 9836576565