An exhibition organised by the Kerala Police at the Kanakakkunnu Palace in connection with the Ananthavismayam fete of the government traces the evolution of the police force in Kerala and provides a glimpse into its multifarious activities.
Greeting visitors are officers dressed in the colonial police attire and manning a desk, thus recreating a police station of the past. Next, a variety of weaponry ranging from the 7.62-mm caliber self-loading rifle and Ruger pistols to the 0.22 caliber Thompson submachine gun and 9 mm-carbine sub-machine guns are displayed, along with various types of grenades and smoke shells.
The display of the uniforms of various police forces of the yesteryear including the Hyderabad police and Bengal police from 1930 to 1949, Bombay police in the early 20th century and the Travancore police have evoked much interest among the visitors.
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The various equipment being used by the fingerprint bureau and telecommunication wing are also a big draw. Fingerprints recorded as early as 1907 are among the archived documents that are exhibited. The evolution of wireless sets and telecommunication devices from 1987 to 2018 is also projected.
Photos highlighting the various initiatives of the Kerala Police, particularly the Thiruvananthapuram City police, have been lined up at the venue. They include milestones such as the launch of the Pink Police, creation of children-friendly police stations, and designation of a few as women-friendly police stations during the recent International Women’s Day.
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Self-defence show
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Another major component of the exhibition is the self-defence live show by women police as part of empowering women and children. The participants are provided an introduction into the self-defence course conducted by the police and encouraged to undertake the 20-hour programme. A show by the dog squad and a puppet show on the issue of drug menace were other highlights of the programme.
Assistant Commissioner (District Crime Records Bureau) R. Prathapan Nair, a coordinator of the exhibition, said the programme was aimed at sensitising the public to the activities of the police. Focus is also given to creating awareness of various laws.