Cops play Pied Piper to fight crime

KOLKATA: The city police has chosen a unique weapon to combat crime now — music.

To prevent young denizens of Kolkata's backyard from taking up crime, the famed city police band will play Pied Pipers to draw musical talents from among them.

From mid-June, the band will hit the streets. After a performance, they will organise a talent hunt and those chosen will be given a chance to perform in Kolkata Police programmes. The band's first performance will be at Collin Street, under Park Street police station area.

The move follows the Friendship Cup football tournament, where 550 clubs participate each year. Most of these clubs are from the backward and slum areas, where the crime-graph is always high. Though this public relations exercise is far from attaining the desired results, the police claim that it has helped them immensely in preventing crime.

The main objective of the band is to strengthen and expand communication between the public and police. "So, the road performance is not a deviation from its objective," said an officer.

After Kolkata Police constable Prashant Tamang reached the final round of Indian Idol, a TV talent-hunt show, the idea of using the police band for spotting musical talent hit upon the police top brass.

"The band will go to the city's backwards and perform. Young boys and girls have a fondness for bands," said special additional commissioner (armed police) Zulfiquar Hasan.

The police band has a glorious past. On November 1, 1858, a group of Englishmen were hurriedly organised into a 'pipe band' to perform at the Governor House. The occasion was the transfer of power from the East India Company to the British Crown.

Some 248 darogas and marines marched to the rhythm of the band on the occasion. These musicians later formed the police band. Today, the band has crystallised into a well-trained group of 70 men proficient in both brass and pipe instruments.