Guarding the checkpost at the main Sarabha Nagar market on Lohri, the SHO says: “I don’t remember the last time I was home to celebrate a festival with my family. On festivals like Diwali, Lohri, Christmas and the New Year, when people like to be with their near and dear ones, we have to stand guard at checkposts to keep a tab on the law and order situation.”

Though the day officially starts around 9 am for the SHO, on some days he has to report to work even before sunrise. Similarly, while his duty officially ends at 9 pm, he can be found either in the police station or at the spot where some crime has happened hours after midnight. “When we start the day, I hold a meeting with my team and take a stock of what is happening in my area. After that the public dealing starts. We listen to the complaints of the public and try to redress their problems. Then is the turn of field duty. We take rounds of the area under our police station,” Kumar says.

“I have been working for 20 years now, and on many occasions, my colleagues and I had to put our personal lives at stake for the call of duty. It was difficult initially but now I tell my children that before being their father, I am a police officer, that my duty comes first. I take solace in the fact that I am standing guard for my countrymen and that my colleagues are on duty to protect my family and friends.”