Lalbazar The scotland yard of Calcutta

Anindita Mazumder

The imposing red brick building at the heart of Lalbazar- a perfect complement to its more impressive neighbour – the Writers’ Buildings, is bound to make the heart of even honourable, law-abiding citizen go thump, thump. This is because it is the headquarters of Kolkata Police and a symbol of the state’s police establishment.

Lalbazar Street once called “Avenue to the Eastward” and then as the “Great Bungalo Road” was actually quite a gay though ‘respectable’ street with the famous Harmonic Tavern- frequented by the cream of Calcutta’s European society – and the play-house, both located on it. On the opposite side was the jail – where Hickey was imprisoned – with a tank inside its enclosure. Cotton writes “The house next to the Police Office, formerly Sailor’s House but now pulled down and replaced by the Magistrate’s court was the famous Harmonic Tavern, the handsomest house of its day in Calcutta.”  The play house on the opposite flank was turned into a battery and saw intense fighting during the siege of 1756.

Initially, the Zeminder of Calcutta was entrusted with the task of law and order but with little effect. Wealthier citizens employed their own watchmen and the company had by 1720 about 64 watchmen in its employment. During Warren Hastings’ tenure a superintendent of police was appointed with 31 thanedars and 700 paiks. In 1800 during Wellesley‘s reign the Justices were vested with magisterial powers. Following the mutiny in 1857 a number of reforms were introduced by Sir Stuart Hogg who was both the Commissioner of Police and the Municipal Commissioner.

One can only imagine from his dual positions the massive responsibilities of the police force who apart from law and order had to handle large fires, act under Vagrancy Act, Lunacy Act, Immigration and Gaming Acts, issue Bills of Health, and  passes and licenses concerning arms, gunpowder, inflammable oils, fishing rights as well as shops dealing in food, drink and drugs, made payments of allowances to court witnesses to districts, regulated  boats and carriages and administered the Maidan apart from controlling water supply to shipping. Till as late as 1950 the Fire Brigade was also part of it. The police force expanded with necessities arising with time setting up traffic department, mounted police, detective department (after the murder of an Anglo-Indian lady), special branch (to keep an eye on revolutionaries and freedom fighters) and more recently, the cyber cell. It was a fearsome place during the tenure of the infamous but efficient Charles Teggart and the Naxalite period, post-independence.

After being housed in a structure at 23, Lalbazar Street, the Calcutta Police in 1835 purchased a building that was once owned by John Palmer (1767-1836). According to HEA Cotton, Palmer was known as the Prince of Merchants not only famous for his hospitality but named so because of the scale of his business. Palmer, who was the son of the secretary to Warren Hastings, used the building as his residence and for the offices of his firm, bank, counting house and wine cellar. But his firm, Palmer & Co failed and he went bankrupt and ultimately became a pauper. The firm’s fall in 1830 “shook Calcutta Society”. Incidentally, the tablet at his grave in Park Street Cemetery describes him to be a “friend of the poor” for his philanthropy. The government acquired his mansion to set up the Police Office before dismantling and expanding it in order to meet the needs of its burgeoning police force. Today the headquarters of Kolkata Police is a virtual garrison with large courtyards and annexes.

Eight decades after the acquisition, the building was pulled down in 1914 and a new structure was raised in its place by November 1918, despite the financial constraints imposed by the World War I. The sprawling red and white brick structure today houses the offices of the Commissioner of Police, Additional Commissioners of Police, Joint Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners of Police, Headquarters and detective department.

Prior to the reconstruction of the main building, the construction of a four-storied building on the north of the Lalbazar compound was taken up in 1912 to accommodate the European sergeants after demolishing an existing two-storied building. This building was completed by 1914 and was inaugurated by Lord Carmichael who was the then Governor of Bengal. At present this building accommodates the main control room, traffic control room, wireless control room, force movement office, among others. A marble inauguration tablet adorns the entrance to this building.

For further expansion of the Police headquarters, land was acquired for construction of a building on the western side of the compound in 1918. This was intended to provide quarters for married European inspectors and sergeants to facilitate quick mobilisation as they were then living in rented houses around Bentinck Street. Construction of this building was completed by 1929.

The existing buildings on the eastern side, earlier partly occupied by the court of the Presidency Magistrate, which shifted subsequently to Bankshall Street, have been renovated. This, at present houses the traffic department and the reserve force. Interestingly, poet Michael Madhusudan Dutta had served as a judicial clerk from 1856 to 1862 in this building, when the Court of the Chief Magistrate used to be housed there.

This cohesive set of imposing buildings would have appeared no more than a military barrack but for the impressive colonnades in the frontage, circular Edwardian windows and such architectural touches which somewhat take away its severity. But it is perfectly suited for what it set out to be –a headquarters for the city’s police force.