It is perhaps true that Malabar Special Police (MSP) is still considered a lingering colonial vestige in the glowing stories of freedom struggle, at least in north Malabar. Though the battalion was formed by the British to crush the Malabar Rebellion, which still sparks massive debates, the police look at its task as a tightrope walk between increased awareness of civil liberties and public safety and the remnants of the past. Redefining its role in the post-colonial world and being careful not to invoke its militarized past, the police are all set to celebrate the centenary of the battalion’s formation next year. A committee consisting of top police officers to decide on the celebrations has zeroed in on several people-friendly activities, including setting up of a football academy and a hospital in the region from its funds.

“Though it has a chequered history, MSP has played a vital role in rejuvenating Malabar’s social fabric and has transformed itself into a peoplefriendly force. It also has a rich sporting tradition,” said ADGP (armed police battalion) K Padmakumar, who served as the battalion’s commandant in the early 90’s.

In addition to the football academy and hospital, the beautification and restoration of the MSP compound and its buildings and a documentary production to highlight the post-independence activities undertaken by the MSP are also under consideration as part of the centenary celebrations. The police have also decided to recommend the government to call a meeting of all the people’s representatives in the area, so as to take inputs from them as well as to ensure public participation for the event. The MSP is already running a higher secondary school in the region.

The MSP (then called Malappuram Special Police) was originally formed in 1884 with 80 constables, four native head constables, a bugler, and a British inspector brought together as a special force to handle the frequent outbreaks of revolt by Moplahs. It was Richard Hitchcock, the district superintendent of police for South Malabar, who proposed the formation of a special police battalion equipped on the lines of an Indian Infantry Battalion. This paved the way for the birth of the present MSP consisting of 12 Indian officers, 30 non-commissioned officers, and 300 men, on September 30, 1921.

Though natives loathed MSP, what helped in turning around the battalion’s image was when it was asked to join the action along with the Army, during the annexation of Hyderabad to the Indian Union in 1948. It became the first police force in the history of the country to be included in a military operation order and to be assigned an infantry task.

In 1953, MSP was called to handle the city police ‘pay strike’ in Madras. The situation was such that the leaders of the strike had even manhandled the city police commissioner. Swinging into action, in a surprise move, the MSP took control over the entire police stations in the city after disarming the city policemen.

MSP was requisitioned by the Centre to take over the duties in Nagaland along with Assam Rifles and Bihar Military Police. “In the post-independence era, the MSP has rendered commendable services in some of the toughest terrains in the country,” said former DGP A Hemachandran.

A controversy was recently whipped up when the Centre decided to withdraw the names of Variam Kunnath Kunjahammed Haji and Ali Musalayar from the list of freedom fighters in the dictionary of freedom fighters published by the ministry of cultural affairs. The state had taken exception to the matter and has asked the Centre to reconsider the decision.

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