The Police in India - and Lathis

[Mervyn Mitton]

The standard of Policing that a Country receives, really depends on it's level of education, moral ethics and an

understanding that Police are part of Society and will act according to the standards around them.

Without in any way intending to be rude, certain Countries still lag way behind the West - and , therefore, their standards of policing tend to be more forceful - and in many places - just plain brutal. Many Countries in Africa come under this heading

- as do parts of the Far East, South America - and India.

Now India has a wonderful history - understood by most of it's people - and it has some religions much older than Christianity. They have one great drawback - they are the second most populated place on Earth - after China - and

the last count I saw mentioned a figure of 1 1/2 billion people. This is the English measurement - not American.

One billion in the US is 100 million - in Britain it is 1000 million.

Let me see if I can get the right number of noughts for 1 1/2 British billion :

1,5,000,000,000,000,000 - how incredible !

I believe the frequency of Police in Urban areas is 1 to 6,700. In the Country areas , far higher. This goes a long way to explain why their police are tougher then European ones - they just dare not lose control.

Britain controlled most of India - under the British East India Company for some 150 years - eventually, after the Indian Mutiny , Britain took direct control in the late 1850's/early 1860's. One of the first things to be looked at was the Policing.

We set-up Constables in Country areas to take charge of given areas. We also set-up British style Police Forces in

Bombay , Calcutta and Madras. They were dressed in a fairly standard uniform of loose tunic , shorts, sandals and either a turban or, tarbosh for the head. Handcuffs and whistles seem to have been fairly standard. For a weapon they had a

Lathi.

The word Lathis means a very ancient form of Martial Art - used throughout India for thousands of years. It involves fighting with a long stick or, pole . Britain had the quarter staff as a common weapon of offence/defence and this became a weapon for early Police or, constables. Exactly the same happened in India - the Lathi became a weapon for early guards and armed bodies to protect towns and villages.

Early British issue Lathis were weapons to be feared - 6 to 8 feet long (2 to 2.75mtrs) the early ones had a brass decorated head which told of the bearer's police duties. I still have one and will show a picture. The usual way to use it was to bring it down on the victim - hard ! The alternative was a sycthing motion at knee height. Because of it's size it was ideal to deal with big demonstrations - if you didn't kill them outright, then at the very least they had broken legs.

After 1947 and Independence the Indian Police continued to use the Lathi - sometimes a little shorter and if it had brass then it was only a band to prevent splitting. The wood was of course Bamboo - which may split - but, doesn't break.

I looked Lathis up on Google and have been quite shocked at the brutality being used with these weapons - even against women and children. However, as I pointed out - the Police are greatly out numbered - and crowds can get very ugly. You only have to look at the London riots earlier in 2011.

I hope this short article will be of interest and following are some pictures of the Lathi in action.

[Mervyn Mitton]

A British India Police issue Lathi from the 1860's

[Mervyn Mitton]

The brass head - which is very heavy and script to identify the Constable

[Mervyn Mitton]

This isn't a posed photo. He is using the Lathi to 'sweep' the crowd back behind an imaginary line.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Some Polycarbonate patterns of modern lathis - intended to replace the old bamboo ones. I think they will be more lethal ?

[Mervyn Mitton]

Police in action against a crowd - look at the man at the bottom with his Lathi raised.

[Hugh]

It was my impression that the last section of the bamboo lathi was opened up and filled with lead to give it a little more heft. Any comment?

H

[Mervyn Mitton]

Hugh - they may not have had to do that when the brass top was present. Without it, I wouldn't be at all surprised that they poured a lead filling. Even in the UK I find that many old Victorian truncheons have a plug of lead at the end.

The public are quick to point out faults with the Police - but, just for a moment think back to a rural Constable in the 1850's. Firstly , everything will be pitch dark - no lights of any sort - perhaps an occasional burning torch outside a farmhouse. You are patrolling your beat - on your own - no help perhaps for miles ! You are carrying a rattle - to call for this non-existant help - a pair of handcuffs if you are lucky enough to catch anyone - and, your only light is from a BullsEye lantern. This gives about 1/2 the light of a 2 cell torch. And finally, a wooden truncheon between 17" and 19" ( 37cm - 48cm). To answer your question with a question - wouldn't you put a bit of lead in the truncheon ?

[Hugh]

You bet I would (and I'd also carry a Browning 9MM).