The Cop Story

- Nandini R Penna

Anusha was only 16 when her poverty driven family wanted to marry her off to a much older man in 2017. Fortunately she was rescued by the police under the guidance of Rachakonda Police Commissioner, Mahesh Bhagwat. And now this child marriage victim represents the Telangana state in cricket and has put on a stupendous performance in the recent Under-19 women’s matches at the National level. But this achievement is nothing unusual for the visionary police officer, for whom, his job was not just fighting crime but also rehabilitating victims and sometimes criminals too.

The ‘Trafficking in Person Report Hero’ awardee—presented by the government of the United States for his contribution in fighting human trafficking—Bhagwat is indeed an officer to be reckoned with. He was selected for the award for his 13 years of consistent work in anti-trafficking. He has been recognised for his vital role in eliminating human trafficking as a government’s priority and his innovative approach in investigating cases and dismantling trafficking operations. All throughout his 22 years of service in the Police Department, the IPS officer has always come up with progressive ideas to bring down crime.