Contagious crime: Cops cannot remain untouched either

Interestingly, after nine days of the workshop, the organisers noted that it is not politicians or anti-social elements that the policemen fear the most, but their seniors!

What was even more surprising is the fact that the police officials confessed that spending nearly 16-18 hours in a day with various convicts and criminals makes a policeman criminal too.

Vadodara-based motivational guru Gaurang Mistry, with the use of his science based on genetics, numbers and psychology called Ank Vishwa, is helping at least 55 policemen from the city to do some soul searching at the Police Community Hall in Pratapnagar Police Headquarters.

“Policemen operate in a system of laws. When one doesn’t obey the law, most of the police officers use ‘fear’ to stop the person from doing what he/she is not supposed to do. In this process, as many of them said today, they have lost touch with the human side. Several policemen present here have problems in family because of the way they operate,” said Mistry.

At the workshop, Mistry along with his four-member team is helping these policemen with Powerpoint presentations to plan the daily life and remain connected with their near and dear ones. “We found that the situation at homes of police officials is as bad as a terror-struck nation. Their homes need to be secured first. Family problems arise when their children and wives are afraid of discussing anything with them after they return home following a long shift. If the change has to come, it must start from home,” said Mistry, who begins the counselling by asking the date of birth of the person.

V K Sharma, a Sub-Inspector from the Detection of Crime Branch, Vadodara, said he is a changed person after the workshop. “After working for 16-18 hours, there is no human left in me. Staying with criminals make you become a criminal. You start scaring everyone with the stick so that an order is maintained in the society,” said Sharma.

He added: “It (the workshop) will help me in investigations as we often end up noticing the obvious clues while forgetting that there are things beyond the obvious. I feel that if a person is more in touch with his/her human side, the investigation will become easier. People will be more comfortable in talking to you.”

Vadodara Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana had granted permission to his staff members to attend the workshop as it was supposed to break the ice between various ranks of policemen and promote bonhomie between them.