Police Community Kitchen ‘Energizes’ Mangaluru City Police for arduous pandemic duty

An army does not march into the battlefield on empty stomach and the general does not lead hungry soldiers. Marshalling his (wo)men in the ongoing war against the global pandemic is N Shashi Kumar, commissioner of police, Mangaluru City Police who has ensured that the rank and file give their best while on duty for they rest assured of coming ‘home’ to a hot meal at the end of it. This was the genesis of the police community kitchen as Shashi Kumar describes it.

Incidentally, it was the experience of having run something similar in his earlier posting as deputy commissioner of police (north division), Bengaluru City Police during the first wave of the pandemic that spurred the police commissioner to replicate it, albeit with local modifications in the city police commissionerate that he heads. A personal contribution of Rs 25000 to this kitchen set the ball rolling and this has now become a participatory community kitchen, he says.

While the ‘police canteen’ initially started out providing lunch to personnel of central and south sub-divisions and staff working the police commissioner’s office from pooled resources, the idea has captivated individuals and organisations who have volunteered to associate with this novel project of feeding the frontline warriors. Presently, thanks to ISKCON, police personnel are also assured of a wholesome nutritious dinner that is served to them in the motor pool garage premises.

Even police personnel who serve in other sub-divisions but have their residences in Mangaluru make use of the kitchen according to their convenience. Most of the police personnel are young bachelors who find it difficult to either cook for themselves or source food from hotels and restaurants due to reasons beyond their control.  This community kitchen has come as a godsend to them and they too now volunteer to contribute to spice up or sweeten the menu as the case may be.

Marshalling this entire arrangement is Channa Veerappa B H, DCP (City Armed Reserve), M A Upase, assistant commissioner of police (CAR) and Irasangappa Teli, police inspector (CAR). Ex-servicemen Shakeel Todalabagi and Abdul Kanwade, who were impromptu field cooks for the Gorkha and Mahar Regiments respectively, and now serving as armed police constables in CAR are taking utmost care to ensure that their colleagues have a lip-smacking experience at lunch.

With SCDCC Bank, Hangyo Ice-Creams and local religious organisations coming forth to support the kitchen with their contribution in kind, and individuals too following suit, Shashi Kumar says all such support is taken strictly on a need basis. We also dip into various heads of account available at our disposal including feeding charges that police on bandobast duty are eligible for to keep the kitchen running. Antecedents of donors are verified before accepting their overture, he adds.

As DCP in Bengaluru, Shashi Kumar says each police station with a strength of around 100 police personnel ran their own small kitchens during the lockdown. Given the fear associated with the pandemic initially, many refused to go to their homes lest they carry any infection home, Shashi Kumar explains. It is that concept that has been localised in Mangaluru and the result is a force that not only toils in some demanding conditions but also moves ahead with energy.

This post has been published in arrangement with Jaideep J Shenoy