Cops learn the art of stress management

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana February 12

From constables to Police Commissioner, almost everyone in the Ludhiana Police Commissionerate are seen spending a handful of their time in practicing meditation these days to learn the art of stress management.

Enrolment in meditation camp has increased manifold post the incident where DSP Baljinder Singh Sandhu, posted at Jaito in Faridkot, died after a bullet fired from his service weapon hit him in his head during students’ protest on January 29 and a constable Lal Singh succumbed to the bullet injuries.

This special course is being offered by Swami Vivekanand Meditation Pyramid.

Police Commissioner RN Dhoke took the initiative to keep the Commissionerate force mentally strong to deal with any sort of work pressure. Dhoke has communicated to the cops of all ranks to enrol for the meditation camp and encourage more and more colleagues to attend it so that they learn the art of stress management.

“We started the meditation camp in November last year. A batch of 40 to 50 cops of all ranks attends the camp every day. So far, 1,033 cops have attended the camp, of which 150 are lady police personnel. It also includes cops of all ranks including constable, head constable, ASI, Inspector, ACP, ADCPs and DCP. As a large of number of cops have benefitted from the camp, more and more policemen are enrolling themselves for the batch and many are in the queue for their turn,” CP Dhoke said.

Dhoke said the purpose of holding such camps is to teach cops how to deal with daily work pressure. “Apart from this, we recently started a weekly off for cops to give proper rest to the Commissionerate force and it was being applauded by them,” Dhoke said.

ACP Headquarters Rupinder Kaur Bhatti, who is regularly attending the camp, said: “Being in the police, we usually don’t realise the kind of pressure we face every day. I believe meditation will teach us the skill of remaining calm, controlling anger and keeping a balanced approach in every situation. It is necessary for cops to learn the art of meditation and only then he/ she can give maximum output in their work.”

ADCP Crime, Rattan Singh Brar said he had completed the course and due to the rising pressure of work in the Police Department, it was a must exercise.

ASI Chamkor Singh, reader to ACP Crime, said after attending the camp, his approach towards life had completely changed and he was feeling wonderful.

DGP Suresh Arora said: “It is the first such incident (Jaito) that I have come across in my career. It’s shocking. I will ask the DGP (training) to give special training to police officials and make them psychologically strong to cope with increased stress and handle provocation and resentment during protests. We need to check the stress level of the police force. We have introduced certain measures in the past, but a deeper study is required.”

Anil Bharti, president of Swami Vivekanand Trust, who teaches meditation to cops said: “Mediation leads to holistic health that includes physical and mental fitness, emotional control, intellectual health and spiritual health. If every citizen achieves holistic health, social health of the society will improve.”

“In society, the police have a stereotype image that they speak rudely, but once cops start practicing meditation, they will actually see a difference,” he said.