Two years after it was inaugurated, the International Tourism Police Station and Police Museum at Mattanchery near here is receiving accolades for the variety of exhibits it has displayed.
The collection of uniforms takes visitors through the history of the State’s police, from the era of the erstwhile kings of Travancore to the present.
At the museum’s entrance is a replica of the Travancore king’s policeman armed with a spear and the king’s bodyguard draped in yellow ‘uniform’ – a dhoti.
Swords on show
Apart from swords used by the Travancore kingdom’s police force, the variety of hats used by police personnel are on display.
A police woman’s uniform of 1939 – the model resembling Western style of clothing, the type of canes used by IPS officers, a gun-powder pot made of bronze, an antique pistol and binoculars dating back to the 1920’s are also on display.
Interesting models
For those who have seen the policemen in khakhi knickers, if not in real life at least in films, the model presented here might be interesting. Then there are models of police women wearing khakhi sarees, the amiable blue uniform of Kerala’s tourism police, badges and ranks of police personnel, a constable of the pipe-band in ceremonial dress, a cop carrying a bugle, the mounted police and the dog squad. Coming to the present, there is a policeman in advanced riot dress, a commando in dangri, a photo of a commando carrying an automatic weapon, an anti-sabotage team with equipment and a policeman wearing bomb-disposal suit.
Free entry
“Many visitors to the Mattancherry heritage zone visit the museum, where entry is free.
Well received
It is well appreciated, especially by foreigners.
The museum became a reality thanks to the efforts of the Kochi City Police,” police sources said.
The museum is open from 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
