A video of a lady cop from Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh diligently writing down a ‘complaint’ of a toddler – who accused his mother of stealing his candies and chocolates - in a bid to reassure him has gone viral on social media.
Users were not only charmed and amused by the innocence of the child but also surprised at his unfazed and determined mannerism with the cops. Also, the attitude of the police officer was appreciated.
The three-year-old (name withheld on request) walked into the Dedhtalai police post under Khaknar Police station on Sunday afternoon with his father after having a ‘tiff’ with his mother reportedly over putting kaajal (kohl) in his eyes following a bath.
“I was leaving the post for some work when this boy got hold of my trousers and insisted that he wanted to file a complaint about his mother. I tried to dissuade him, but when he insisted, I took a paper and pen and started questioning him. He said that his mother had slapped him on the cheek and that she stole his candies. When I repeated the question on theft, he clarified that he did not steal it, but his mother had done it. Also, she stole his chocolates, “he said.
“He ensured that the name of his ‘Ammi’ was put in the complaint though he did not know the actual name of his mother,” sub-inspector Priyanka Nayak, in-charge of the post told THE WEEK. She added that the kid confidently made some marks with the pen on the paper when he was asked to ‘sign the complaint.’
What made Nayak entertain the unusual insistence of the child? “I am used to interacting with children as we keep on doing awareness drives at schools. There is a school near the police post too and the kids often come over to interact with us. I feel that it is good for the kids to be at ease and frank with the police because then they can always come to us with their genuine complaints,” Nayak said. However, this was the first time she met this toddler, who stays some distance away from the police post.
She also said that kids these days are very sharp and aware of what is going around them and access to cell phones has increased this awareness. “The father of the child told us that it was the kid who insisted on coming to the police post to file a complaint. This means that he was aware that complaints of ‘wrong’ things could be made with police,” the cop said.
Nayak further said that such incidents underline the need for parents to have open communication with their kids so that the kids are able to share not only their joys but also their troubles with the parents. “Many untoward incidents could be prevented in this way,” she said.
