After solving crimes, cops unwind with music

Pune: When they’re not making criminals sing like canaries, cops at the Lashkar police station are belting out yesteryear hits of Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, Mohammad Rafi and others as a way of blowing off steam. The police station, located in Pune’s Cantonment area, is perhaps the first in Maharashtra to have a dedicated “music room” equipped with a karaoke system, speakers and sound mixers.

“When the COVID-19 pandemic slowed, we held a musical therapy session with the help of Dr Santosh Borade, a music therapist, who encouraged the staff to sing whenever time allowed, underlining that music has a healing effect and reduces stress,” said senior inspector Ashok Kadam.

On Dr Borade’s suggestion, they first installed a small speaker and mic at the police station. Then, as the singing bug bit more staffers, officials added high-end equipment such as a karaoke system, mixers and singing mics with help from a local gurdwara.

“Today, we have around 15 police personnel including police officials, constables and even a peon who sing on a regular basis in the music room,” said Kadam, adding, “Since our police station is always under the pressure of bandobast duty and has the responsibility to maintain law and order, the staff needed such a mode of relaxation,” said Kadam. The initiative has is showing other gains as well.

The evening musical sessions, according to inspector Kadam, have had another positive effect besides acting as a stressbuster: the bonding between staff members has increased. It is the time when officials and personnel come together and sing together.

The work output too has increased and the staff does not crib if they are assigned any extra official work, he said. —PTI