Home to rare and little known police relics from the Nizam era, the Dr. Hankins Police Museum and Discovery Centre at RBVRR Telangana State Police Academy (TSPA) here is a treasure trove for history enthusiasts.
From long-out-of-use police guns to breaking-and-entering tools that burglars depended on many decades ago, the museum is filled with intriguing artefacts that one would hardly find outside its walls. “It is a one-of-its-kind museum in the country with a rich collection of arms, bronze sculptures, artefacts related to communication, forensic science and policing supported by photographs and paintings,” said TSPA director Santosh Mehra.
The museum, which is named after Dr. A.C. Hankin, a European who served as the first Inspector General of Police in Hyderabad Dominions, has an antique collection of arms from the 16th to 20th century, manufactured in Iran, Turkey, England, France, Egypt and China.
One of the major attractions at the museum includes a .2 mm repeating flint pistol with five rounds of storage capacity from the 19th century, also known as ‘Lilliput pistol’. The firearm, which is barely four inches long, was popular in the UK and other European countries.
The collection also includes Shamsheer, Patta, Yataghan, Sosun Patta, Saif, Talwar, Fencing, Adi, Dhup, Dao, Ramdao, Tegha, and Zulfiqar swords, apart from arrows, spears, daggers, tabar, axe and cannons.
A copy of FIR of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi issued by Tughlak Road police in New Delhi on January 30, 1948, is also on display at the museum, which houses a rare photograph of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi.
The police gallery also houses counterfeit coins and currency notes of East India Company, Nizam Government, the British empire and Indian union. In addition, one can have a glimpse of hand-held trans-receiver, transmitters, ECIL receiver, TCS Collins receiver remote control, Webel base repeater set and desk microphone.
Set up in 2007, Dr. Hankin police museum is not open to the public. However, Mr. Mehra said school children can visit the museum to see the impressive collections of arms and communication systems to know the history of policing.
Sources in the police department said the museum is likely to be shifted to the Command Control Centre of Hyderabad police coming up on Road No.12 of Banjara Hills. It is also to be made open to the public once shifted there.
