Shireen Hoda
Crime Grime and Gumption races through the dark lanes of crime, faces the wrath of natural disasters and introduces us to the trials and tribulations of the ‘khaki’. In writer OP Singh’s own words, it’s “an exploration of the thin line between justice and vengeance and the constant struggle to balance the scale”.
The work is well conceptualised and all the incidents are so carefully woven that we become one with the writer and walk with him, through his childhood, his journey as a young school boy, his adolescent years and the college days, his selection as an IPS, his training, and finally his 37 years of service.
The seed of honesty and dedication towards his duty seems to have been sown by his father, whose wise words guided him through all his tough times.
A missionary zeal
His resolve to bring criminals to justice could be because of a case of robbery at his own home. As a young boy he had to face the apathy of policemen when he had gone to register the case. This gave him a missionary zeal to help the public. For serious crimes; kidnapping, robbery, terrorism, or just a question of law and order, he was there in the forefront to resolve the problem of the public at large.
Dealing with crime, criminals enforcing law and order, fighting terrorism all are a part of a police officers’ life. The writer relates some of the incidents in a very graphic manner that makes us feel we are watching an OTT thriller. On the eve of his retirement he had to resolve a case where some children were held hostage. A high octane drama unfolds, with a thumping heart we feel as if we are hearing terse orders, team getting together for the rescue, dialogue with the kidnappers and finally the rescue of the children and we heave a sigh of relief.
In another incident, we see OP Singh donning the hat of Sherlock Holmes and using all his deductive skills to solve a case of robbery. It was in Almora though nothing of much value was taken away, Singh solves it with the diligence that seems to be part of his personality. He assigns motives, takes fingerprints and confirms his suspicion of the thief, just a Watson was missing to whom he would say “elementary my dear Watson”.
‘Guest House’ incident
It’s not only solving crimes that fill up his memoir, he raises the curtains on the ‘State Guest House’ incident. How and why he was implicated in it and became a pawn in the chess game of political power of two parties. To a person who did his work honestly and with integrity, it was a painful experience. His angst, bewilderment and suffering had no bounds when he stood before Mayawati, his voice and body shaking and quivering with pent-up emotions of years, as he asked, Why me? The question that had been troubling him day in and day out.
During 37 years of service the writer held a number of important posts and did commendable work everywhere. He was in charge of Lakhimpur Kheri when insurgency was at its peak. With the determination and devotion to duty that marked his career, he did not rest until the region was rid of terrorism.
NDRF and CISF stints
In his stint as the NDRF chief, he relates the side of nature which brought tears and terror to the people of his country as well as abroad. He describes in details the havoc wreaked by the earthquake of Nepal and rejoices with the people that he and his team managed to save. When heading the CISF, a posting which he regards as his ‘tiara’, he made many changes and introduced many firsts. Keeping in mind the welfare of those working with him.
His penultimate posting as DGP Uttar Pradesh has been described well. He considers it a challenging post as he was heading the biggest police force of the most populous state. Earlier UP was infamous for its poor law and order situation, communal and caste based violence and gang wars, the book describes how his efforts changed the face of UP.
During this period he had the opportunity to oversee diverse responsibilities. The successfully concluded Kumbh Mela added a feather to his cap. We read the details of how use of technology along with right policing brought the mammoth congregation together to offer the holy dip in the holy waters.
This was the time of the general elections which was conducted without any untoward incident. This was the time of the Ayodhya Judgment, but once again careful and diligent policing paid dividends as the state maintained peace and order. This was the time of the CAA protest but the DG himself got down and along with his team and saw to it that the general public’s life was not disturbed.
Guide to young officers
Political boss and administration have to be on the same page for the betterment of a state. He relates how he and the Chief Minister were on the same page with zero-tolerance policy, and with his support he could bring down the edifice of fear, destruction and negativity.
The book can serve as a guide to young officers as he lays down the rules for good policing and explains the successfully implemented various strategies. He offers guidelines to young officers on how to conduct themselves and carry out their duties with honesty and sincerity. One important point he asserts is team work and he sets an example by giving credit to his team.
This captivating book is truly irresistible, with its exquisite prose that transforms the narrative into a vivid canvas. The narrative adopts a conversational tone, drawing the reader into a web of engaging anecdotes. With a flair for suspense, the author occasionally teases, declaring, “One criminal piece of evidence I have not revealed to you yet…” This clever tactic keeps the reader eagerly anticipating more revelations.
In an era dominated by bingewatching on OTT platforms, ‘Crime, Grime & Gumption’ stands out as a binge-worthy read. Once you start, it becomes a literary journey that compels you to keep turning the pages until the very end!
