Editorial Board Contents - Bureau of Police Research and ...

Settling down of criminal tribes was taken up bythe native States and a Mogia department wascreated in the old Holkar, Scindia and Bhopalstates of Madhya Bharat. Recently, open jail wascreated for the surrendered dacoits of Chambaland Bundelkhand regions at Mugawali in districtAshoknagar. Today, jails all over the country arerunning artisan workshops of all kinds and aretermed as correctional institutions, a principleput in practice nearly 175 years earlier bySleeman.In 1928, while holding civil and executive chargeat Jabalpur, Sleeman was given a residence nearthe parade ground. The house and the park wasdestroyed in 1870 when a railway line was laidat the site. As Commissioner Jabalpur, Sleemanstayed and lived in style, in a huge mansion builtin 1821, called the Commissioner’s Residency,which today is the residence of the RevenueCommissioner, Jabalpur. It was here he wrote‘Rambles and the Recollections of an IndianOfficer’. Under the main hall, there still exists ahuge cellar which has not been opened since along time.In 1828, Sleeman found his life companion AmelieJosephine, a French nobleman’s daughter, whoGeneral William Henry Sleemanhad escaped the French revolution and settled inMauritius. But it was at Jabalpur that he met her,and was married on 21 st June, 1829, by licence,at the political residency by T. H. Maddock, agentto the Governor General. To commemorate hismarriage Sleeman got an impressive 86 mile longavenue planted on the Jabalpur-Benaras road andon the Jabalpur-Narsinghpur road. The road sidetrees lasted for more than 100 years. One can stillsee some old trees on these roads.The year 1828 was lucky for Sleeman as ‘DoNothing’ Lord Amherst was replaced by ‘GoForward’ Lord Bentinck. Earlier, in 1826, Sleemanhad already been given the additional charge oftackling and coordinating Thuggee crimes over alarge area. Bentinck was impressed with the reportsof Sleeman and opposition by his brother officerswithered. Those who had scoffed at Sleeman'ssingle-handed operation, started co-operating. Ifthe Thugs considered it a duty ordained by ‘kali’to kill, so Sleeman thought it his duty ordainedby God to exterminate the Thugs. Sleeman wastrying to reach to the roots of the Thuggee treeand cut it. More than half a century before Frazercommission recommended a number registerfor the police station, as a part of police recordsAmelie JosephineThe Indian Police Journal, October - December, 2012, Special Issue 5