DELHI POLICE

DELHI POLICE

Delhi has a long history of policing through the famed institution of the Kotwal. Malikul Umara Faqruddin is said to be the first Kotwal of Delhi. He became the Kotwal at the age of 40 in 1237 A.D. and was also simultaneously appointed as the Naibe-Ghibat (Regent in absence). Because of his integrity and sagacity he held the post through the reigns of three Sultans: Balban, Kaikobad and Kaikhusrau. When Emperor Shahjahan shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi, in 1648, he appointed Ghaznafar Khan as the first Kotwal of the new city, bestowing on him the office of Mir-i-Atish (Chief of Artillery). The institution of Kotwal came to an end with the crushing of the revolt of 1857, the first war of freedom by the British and interestingly, the last Kotwal of Delhi, appointed just before the eruption of the first war of freedom, was Gangadhar Nehru, father of Pandit Motilal Nehru and grand father of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister. Delhi being a part of the Punjab, remained a unit of the Punjab Police even after becoming the Capital of India in 1912. In the same year, the first Chief Commissioner of Delhi was appointed. Delhi Police was reorganised in 1946 when its strength was almost doubled. It was on February 16, 1948 that the first Inspector and General of Police of Delhi was appointed. The emblem of Delhi Police is a coat of arms. Its Arms: Gules, the cypher DP Or and a bordure Azure the title Delhi police in English and Hindi, written in latin and Devanagari script or Crest: The Asoka capital, being the emblem of India, Garland: Branches of laurel or and Motto: Satyameva Jayate in blue Devanagari script on a red ribbon. Its motto is ‘शान्ति सेवा न्याय ’ in Devanagari and ‘Peace Service Justice’ in English written in gold in the bottom red banner.