Evolution of Police System in Visakhapatnam

Edward Paul, a Vizag aficionado and a heritage conservationist, has gathered information on the evolution of the police system in Visakhapatnam. The Visakhapatnam district police system was established on 28 January 1861, marking 163 years as of date. This district police also aided in the encounter of Alluri Srirama Raju, popularly known as Alluri Seetharama Raju. Keep reading to know how the system has transformed through India’s developments, partition of states, and formation of districts.

There was no uniform police system in India till the end of East India Company rule. The Police systems that existed till then were the systems prevalent during the rule of native Kings and Mughal rulers. The present Police System was introduced after the great sepoy mutiny in 1857 when the Queen of England took over the rule of India. This started with the passing of an act by the then-Madras Government way back in 1859. The Government of Madras, by an Act XXIV of 1859, which was enacted on the 6th September 1859, brought a Police system in the Madras Presidency, which was the foundation for the present police system.

According to that system, the post of Inspector General of Police was created to head the Police force in the presidency. All the then 21 Revenue administrative districts were grouped under five police ranges named Northern, Western, Ceded Districts, Central, and Southern. Each range was headed by a Deputy Inspector General of Police and each of the districts by a Superintendent of Police. Each district was provided with a force consisting of Inspectors, Head Constables, and Constables. By the end of 1861, all the districts of the Madras Presidency were brought under this act. Accordingly, the District Superintendent of Police was appointed in each district who became functional by the end of 1861.

Initially, senior posts like Deputy Inspector General, District Superintendent of Police, and Assistant Superintendent of Police were filled mostly with commissioned officers from the Army. The post of Inspector General of Police was filled with persons from the Indian Civil Service. But from 1893 recruitment to these senior posts in Police was made through a competitive examination held in England. Later in 1919, the examination was held in India. Till 1907 this service was described by various names as Superior Grade Police Indian Imperial Police or Indian Police Service. In 1907, the Secretary of State for India authorized these Indian Police officers to wear the letters I P on their epaulets (Imperial Police) to distinguish them from the Police officers of Provincial Service. The post of Inspector General of Police continued to be occupied by persons from ICS till 1919.

The first person from the Imperial Police Service to occupy the post of Inspector General of Police was PB Thomas, IP in 1919. In the Senior Subordinate and Subordinate Services the posts of Inspectors, Head Constables, Deputy Head Constables, and Constables were filled with NativeIndians along with some Europeans and Eurasians. The Northern Range was formed with its headquarters at Waltair headed by a Deputy Inspector General of Police. Four districts namely, Ganjam, Visakhapatnam, Godavary (consisting of most parts of both east and west Godavari districts of the present day), and Krishna (consisting of most parts of both Krishna and Guntur districts before 2022 reorganization) were brought under Northern Range in 1861.

The District Police system was established in Visakhapatnam on 28^th January 1861 and it covered the whole district except Jeypore Zamindary. The first Superintendent of Police was Captain Buck. The first Deputy Inspector General for Northern Range was Captain Tennant. Initially, most of the persons for higher ranks were drawn from the Army, which was carrying out duties of a civil nature also in addition to its military duties. In fact, this new police system relieved the Army of its civil duties.

By the end of 1862-63, the entire Madras presidency was brought under the operation of the Madras District Police Act XXIV of 1859. Initially, the Jails, salt factories, and salt storage yards were also guarded by the police. But in 1883 the Police Dept was relieved from Salt department duties. In 1888 duty of guarding jails was taken over by the Jail dept and the police were relieved from such duty but escorting prisoners from Jail to courts continued to be with the police.

The Visakhapatnam district at that point in time was the largest in the whole of Madras Presidency, extending up to Rayagada in the north and including most of Jeypore Zamindary. The Jeypore Zamindary area came under Visakhapatnam District Police in January 1863 with the appointment of Captain Galbraith, as Assistant Superintendent of Police, for Police functions and Lieutenant J.M. Smith, as an Assistant Agent, for Revenue and Judicial functions.

In 1864, with the taluks of Aurada, Mohadeopatti, Nowrangapur, Jeypore, and Malkangiri, a separate police system was formed within the Revenue District of Visakhapatnam.  The headquarters of this Police District was shifted to Koraput in 1870. But still, the Police District continued to be called Jeypore District. With the formation of Orissa state in 1936 this police district went into Koraput District of Orissa.

When the Police establishment was started in 1861 in the Madras Presidency, it included the whole of the present (2024) Andhra Pradesh. Many changes have taken place in the Police establishment as well as in the formation of new revenue and police districts in Madras Presidency from its inception. Many notable changes have taken place during its more than 160 years
of history. A new cadre called “Uncovenanted Assistant Superintendent of Police” was created during the year 1876-77. These posts were initially meant for filling through promotion from the ranks of Inspectors.

They were the precursors to the present Deputy Superintendents of Police of the state cadre. For a brief period, the Port Police system was established at Bimilipatnam and Visakhapatnam as per the Port Police Act of 1881. But in 1883 the entire marine police was abolished. In the year 1893, new posts designated as ‘Special Police Inspectors’ were introduced in each district. They were given the charge to prosecute police cases brought before the Magistrates’ courts. They were also called Prosecuting Inspectors. They were replaced by Assistant Public Prosecutors recruited from the Bar in 1939. This was introduced initially as an experimental measure in Guntur and Anantapur Districts and later extended to the other districts in a phased manner.

The Railway Police system was brought into force in the year 1895. Initially, they were placed under the District Superintendents of the districts through which the Railway lines were passing. But in 1896 the force was put under a Deputy Inspector General of Police. The Head Constables were the Station House Officers till 1905. A new grade of Sub-Inspectors on Rs. 30/- per month was established during the year 1861, to induce young men of education to enter the force. But that system was not extended after the first recruitment. The India Police Commission which was constituted on 9th July 1902 recommended the replacement of head constables with sub-inspectors as station house officers. Sub-inspectors were to be trained in a central police school and then undergo one probationary year of practical training.

Accordingly, the first batch of sub-inspectors came out after completing their training at Vellore in 1905. The Commission recommended that the Sub Inspectors were to be on par with Naib
Tahsildars or Dy Tahsildars and that the Inspectors were to be on par with Tahsildars in the revenue department. The Commission further recommended local recruitment of constables and training for them at central police schools. Accordingly, in 1908 a Central Training School was opened at Vizianagaram for training newly recruited constables. The traffic control system was introduced in
several towns in the Presidency during the year 1919.

In 1921 the authorities found that one Alluri Srirama Raju was emerging as a rebel leader with following in the hill tribes in Gudem Hills. During this time a strike force was formed in 1923 at
Vizianagaram is named “East Coast Special Police Force”. The Malabar Special Police Force and The East Coast Special Police Force were deployed to subdue this rebellion. Mr Happel of
the Indian Police was appointed as Commandant for the combined police forces. Narasipatnam was made base for the operations and telephone communications were established with the base. Most personnel of these special police forces were incapacitated by malaria.

Detachments of Assam Rifles and 30th Mule Corps were brought in as reinforcements and stationed at Narasipatnam in the beginning of 1924. Mr. T.G.Rutherford, I.C.S., was appointed as the
Special Commissioner for the Agency Division on 25th April 1924 to deal with the situation. On 6th May 1924, the Malabar Special Police came across the rebel group and there was an exchange of fire. In that encounter, Vegi Raju Satyanarayana Raju commonly known as Aggi Raju, a prominent leader in the group, considered next to Alluri Rama Raju, was killed. It was then believed that Alluri Srirama Raju was also present during that encounter but escaped. The next day on 7th May 1924 East Coast Special Police force led by Sub Inspector Alwar Naidu and Jemedar Kunju Menon encountered Alluri Srirama Raju and captured him.

The Police reports of that day mention that he was killed on the same day while trying to escape. But later writings, mention that he was taken to Koyyur and shot dead. Whatever the controversy, he was certainly caught alive before being shot dead. After Independence, he became very popular as a freedom fighter who fought against the British and is known as Alluri Seetha Rama Raju. All Government records during the rebellion mention him as Alluri Srirama Raju. The name Seetha was added later. After his death the Malabar Police Force was sent back and East Coast Special Force was disbanded.

Later in 1946, the police system in Visakhapatnam Revenue District was bifurcated into two Police districts Visakhapatnam North and Visakhapatnam South. These two Police Districts of Visakhapatnam North and South were reorganized with the formation of Vizianagaram District in 1979, with the North going to Vizianagaram District and the south retained in Visakhapatnam District. The whole of the Revenue district of Visakhapatnam formed into one Police district. This again was bifurcated in 1983 into Visakhapatnam Urban and Visakhapatnam Rural. Out of the Visakhapatnam urban district, the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan area was formed into a Police Commissionerate in 1989.

The present Police Commissioner’s building was originally, the quarters for District Superintendent of Police, Visakhapatnam. A site was acquired for its construction at Waltair in 1908 and construction commenced in the same year and was completed in 1912. The present residence building of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Northern Range was originally the property of a Madras-based shipping company by the name “Gordon Woodroffe & Co.” and the building was known as “Elswood”. It was initially taken on lease and later acquired by the Government for R. 48,500 in 1936. Till about 1990s, the DIG office was located on the Andhra University campus near the Vice Chancellor’s lodge on its southwest side. A few years back it was renovated. Presently the AP State Archives is occupying that building and functioning from there.

This article is written by heritage conservationist Vijjeswarapu Edward Paul. You can reach out to him via email at edwardpaulv@gmail.com or contact him at +91 94401 73695.

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