Suranjan Das Road

Virat Kohli

Bangalore

traffic constable

favourite

Constable 'Singham' Bhaskar has gained such a reputation with his easy manners, ready smile and willingness to help that people in the vicinity of, where he is posted, have adopted him as their ownAs’s Royal Challengershung on for a rare victory over the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL on Tuesday and as the sea of red in the stands erupted in an ecstatic frenzy, one man looked on with a huge grin, watching the reaction of the crowd as much as the stars on the field. He wasn’t savouring the triumph so much as committing the scene to memory. It was a special day for‘Singham’ Bhaskar, a tale worth retelling to his grandchildren.Bhaskar is a bit of a hero himself. The 27-year-old is readily recognizable at his work spot on Suranjan Das Road in CV Raman Nagar and that’s not only because of his magnificent handlebar moustache — he’s a huge fan of Kollywood star Surya and that’s, perhaps, where the ‘Singham’ comes from.The affable cop is so popular in the neighbourhood that when police top brass, in keeping with their rotation policy, posted him out to another junction in the same jurisdiction in 2012, his sizeable fan following accumulated over his five years of selfless service, immediately pressed for his return. He was posted back to Suranjan Das Road on popular demand six months ago.The IPL match was a gift from his fans. This ‘mini-celebrity’ is frequently a topic of discussion on social networking websites — be it the Bangalore Traffic Police Facebook page or even on the Little More Love blog that recognised his good work and his love for cricket. The praise inspired Kapil Bellubi, street food blogger and corporate finance consultant, to collect money to buy Bhaskar, a cricket fanatic, a ticket to an RCB game. The Bangalore-based side is histeam. The initiative was met with such a flood of support that Bellubi collected money for two tickets within no time.Bhaskar’s (“I’m just Bhaskar, but people call me Singham”) tryst with the cop uniform began at the tender age of one when his parents dressed him in the uniform. “Ever since, I’ve wanted to be a cop,” he says with a laugh. He invariably works 365 days a year and from 8 am to 8 pm every day (with a break from noon to 4 pm). Even with this stiff schedule, he managed a four-hour break to catch his first-ever live match. Despite the rain on Tuesday evening, Bhaskar, with his buddy Suresh — who got lucky —made it to the stadium in an auto after a hard day at work.With two tickets for Rs 1,750 each in hand, Bhaskar and his buddy entered gate No. 8 and were briefly overwhelmed. “The buzz and excitement in the air was infectious,” he says, so much so that in the excitement, he forgot to snap a selfie of him and Suresh in the stands. Bhaskar got through the evening on a high of one Coca Cola and “life”. “There were so many people and it was so loud. I just loved the feeling of being there.” It was past 12.30 am by the time he left the stadium for home.From children who go to schools in the vicinity to working professionals at Bagmane Tech Park and even elderly folk, everyone ‘knows’ Bhaskar. It’s primarily because of his attitude. “It won’t kill to smile at a stranger,” says Bhaskar. In his case, it’s many strangers and many smiles. “Every house has the same litany of problems. You might make a tense man’s day by smiling at him or even relieve him of his stress.”If a cheerful traffic constable seems like an anomaly, Bhaskar has a penchant for another oddity — a liking for working during peak traffic hours. “If I begin work early and ensure the free movement of traffic, there will be free flowing traffic through the day,” he says. “I never get bored on duty and I love meeting people.” So much so that this bachelor — his parents are settled in Mysore — doesn’t spend too much time at home.Ask him about his fame and he says, “I’ve not won one or two awards, but many.” And quickly explains, “It is reward enough when the public talk to us and appreciate us.” The public’s attitude towards the police is his pet grouse, but he hopes to change it. “People have the misconception that the entire police force is corrupt. I want to change that,” says Bhaskar.He’s already managed to change the attitude of a small corner of the city. People in CV Raman Nagar bring him sweets during celebrations and invite him home for gatherings and passersby give him chocolates and biscuits. “I protect people and like to do it with a smile,” he says.