The Hindu : Kerala News : Engineer dons khaki

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Kerala

Engineer dons khaki

“I really enjoyed firing the weapons, especially AK-47. It was like re-living one of those Hindi movies in which you see militants roaming around wielding the gun.”

Photo: C. Ratheesh Kumar

Alesh Kumar.

More than a love for the uniform it was the financial security and prestige offered by a government job that prompted Alesh Kumar to make his seemingly unbelievable switch from being an electrical engineer to a police constable.

Mr. Kumar’s new found love, kindled after five-years of academic study at the Trivandrum Engineering College and a year-long service as an electrical engineer at a construction firm in the city surprised his trainers at the Special Armed Police Battalion that they promptly advised him to write the Civil Services for a more inspiring position.

‘Spontaneous move’

In fact, his decision to opt for the police force is even more confounding when this 25-year-old tells you that the change over was a “spontaneous” one.

An explanation which his parents too initially found unconvincing when he first revealed them about his intentions. “Like any father, I wished my son would continue being an engineer, something which he had already specialised in,” said a glum-looking Arjunan K.N., a driver at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, who had accompanied his son to witness his ceremonial passing out parade at the Special Armed Police camp on Friday morning after nine-months of training that included everything from computer classes to survival skills in the wild.

So is there any thing Mr. Kumar loved in particular during the training? “I really enjoyed firing the weapons, especially AK-47. It was like re-living one of those Hindi movies in which you see militants roaming around wielding the gun.” In all probability, it will be the last time that Mr. Kumar will be re-living his reel life fantasy as the weapon is not among the list of arms for his daily use as a constable, unless he is assigned for VIP duty.

But that do not seem to deter him, at least for the time being. “My friends have all been very supportive about my decision to join the police force,” he said. “I am the first in my batch to get into a government service,” proclaims Mr. Kumar proudly.

Sangeeth Kurian

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