District Armed Police West Bengal [PR]

Bengal police Regulation 1943

CHAPTER XI

District Armed Police

Emergency force guards and escorts

682. District Armed Police and its reserve. – At the headquarters of every district except the Railway Police districts there shall be a District Armed Police which shall provide (i) an emergency force at headquarters, (ii) an emergency force at selected subdivisions, (iii) guards and (iv) escorts. It shall include armourers, buglers and the casualty reserve separately calculated on a variable percentage of the total number of head constables and constables of the District Armed Police sanctioned for the district.

683. Composition of the District Armed Police. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) The District Armed Police shall be constituted by drafts from the ordinary police of the district out of which as many men as possible shall pass through this force for training, but in posting men Superintendents shall see that those who are unsuitable by physique or any other reason are not drafted into this force. All members of the district force are liable to serve in this force. There should be no limit to the period of their retention in the District Armed Police. They should continue so long as the Superintendent considers them suitable for the armed branch duties. These orders do not apply to districts, where the District Armed Police is constituted of Gurkhas and Garhwalis who shall not serve in other departments of the district force. In other districts, the proportion of the armed force to consist of Gurkhas, Garhwalis and Punjabis shall from time to time be fixed by the Inspector-General and the members of these classes, not being qualified for police-station duties, etc., shall not serve in other departments of the district force.
(b) Constables during their period of service in the District Armed Police shall draw a special pay of Rs. 4 per mensem.

684. Daily drill at headquarters. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) All available force at headquarters shall be drilled every morning except Thursday and on holidays. The Superintendent shall prepare a weekly programme of the drill and exercises, including games, to be performed each day, and of the instructional and other lectures to be given. Riot drill shall be practised frequently and route marches undertaken occasionally. When outdoor work is impracticable, indoor instruction in the treatment of arms and ammunition should be substituted.
(b) Muster parades shall be held once a week at all district and Sub-divisional headquarters, which shall be attended by all available officers. The day and hour for these parades shall be fixed by the Superintendent at district, and by the Sub-divisional Police Officer or Circle Inspector at Sub-divisional headquarters.

684A. Long hair and beard not permitted. – Officers and men shall always be neat and clean in person and dress both in and out of uniform. Their hair shall always be closely cut. Those who shave shall always be clean-shaved. Moustaches may be worn though beards are shaved. Sikhs and Punjabi Muslims who are in the habit of growing long hair and beards are permitted to do so.

685. Emergency force. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – A portion of the District Armed Police shall always remain in readiness at the headquarters lines or at subdivisions for dealing with the local disturbances. This shall be known as the “emergency force”. It shall always remain up to full strength. The personnel will be found from the District Armed Police and each officer shall take his turn of guard, escort or other duty as occasion requires. The actual number of officers allotted for the emergency force shall always be actually present at headquarters unless a party is specially permitted to be absent with the sanction in writing of the District Magistrate. If frequent reductions have to be made in the strength of the emergency force, the fact shall be reported to the Deputy inspector-General of the Range.

686. Duties of officers in regard to the efficiency of District Armed Police. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – Superintendents and Additional Superintendents should, when at headquarters, attend parade in uniform at least once a week and their Assistant and Deputy Superintendents at least twice a week. Their attendances shall be noted by their initials against the heading “Actually on parade” in the morning report. Superintendents are responsible that the force is properly instructed and trained in all items of police drill.
687. Members of Unarmed Police temporarily at headquarters to remain under Armed Inspector. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – Officers below the rank of Inspector belonging to the Unarmed Police who may, for any reason, be temporarily at headquarters, shall be under the Armed Inspector and subject to the same routine and discipline as officers of the District Armed Police.
688. Rank of Sergeants for the purpose of certain Acts. – All Sergeants of the Bengal Police shall be deemed to be of the rank of Sub-Inspector for the purpose of the exercise of any power which has been declared under the provisions of the Bengal Public Gambling Act, 1867 (Bengal Act II of 1867), as subsequently amended, and the Bengal Excise Act, 1909 (Bengal Act V of 1909), as subsequently amended to be exercisable by a police officer of the rank of Sub-Inspector.

689. Officers competent to indent for guards or escorts. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) The officers named below are competent to indent for guards or escorts for the purpose of guarding or escorting prisoners, lunatics or treasure, currency notes, etc., opium, liquor in bond, and other valuable property of the Crown :-
Commissioners.

Judges.

Magistrates of districts.

Settlement Officers (escorts only).

Sub-divisional Magistrates.

Munsifs.

Executive Engineers.

Superintendents of Jails.

Officers-in-charge of treasuries.

Sub-divisional Officers, Telegraphs.

Superintendent, Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta and Cinchona Cultivation in Bengal (escorts only, once a month).

Tahsildar of Maynaguri (Jalpaiguri). (For escort of treasure only).

Tahsildar of Falakata (Jalpaiguri). (For escort -of treasure only).

Naib Tahsildar of Bhalka (Jalpaiguri). (For escort of treasure only).

Manager, Government Cinchona Plantation, Munsong (Darjeeling). (For escort of treasure only twice a month).

(b) If any officers ask for guards or escorts that are not provided for by these regulations, they shall be informed that they must obtain the sanction of the Provincial Government through the head of their department without which the required guards or escorts cannot be furnished.

690. Special escort for postal money. – (a) Instructions for giving notice to postmasters of escorts passing between stations and headquarters will be found in regulation 241.
(b) In special cases when large sums have unexpectedly to be sent to any office the head of the local post office may ask the Superintendent for a special escort, and when this can be given without interfering with other work it shall be supplied without payment. It must, however, be distinctly understood that this regulation confers no right to indent for escorts.

691. Magistrates’ and Commissioners’ guards. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) If the number of men available for duty in the lines permits, Superintendents, when requested, shall supply one or two constables to Magistrates and Commissioners to guard their houses during their absence from headquarters.
(b) If the District Magistrate so desires, a guard of one head constable and six constables shall accompany him on the occasion of his visits to the interior. Such a force is intended as a guard of honour for the chief executive officer of a district, as well as for Court purposes and the custody of undertrial prisoners, and no special sanction is necessary. A similar guard shall be supplied to the Divisional Commissioner when on tour at a district or Sub-divisional headquarters. At other places no guard shall be supplied unless he desires it. Intimation of the Commissioner’s desire for a guard will be sent by him to the Superintendent in sufficient time to allow for the deputation of the guard.

(c) Any guard required for the custody of undertrial prisoners with Magistrates in camp shall be supplied by the police.

692. Guards for the Communications and Works Department. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – Officers of the Communications and Works Department, when marching or in camp on public duty, shall be allowed a police guard, without charge, for the protection of public property, on the application of an officer not below the rank of Executive Engineer. Such guard shall not be supplied unless the officer travelling is in charge of Government money or valuable Crown property, or unless the country is disturbed.

693. Guards for railways. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) With the sanction of the Provincial Government police guards may be supplied to railways under construction.
When guards are supplied to a railway at its own request for the performance of duties which are not part of the ordinary functions of the police, their cost shall be charged to the railway.
(b) Railway bridges, in common with other railway goods and premises, will ordinarily be protected by watchmen in the employ of the railway concerned. In the event of the replacement of these watchmen by police guards –

(i) when the services of the police guards are placed at the disposal of the railway at the request of the railway administration, the cost of the guards will fall upon the railway;

(ii) if the substitution is made on general grounds of State policy and the service is taken over by the police as part of its regular duties, the charges will fall upon the Provincial Government and will be debited to police.

694. Guards to remain in their own districts. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – Guards supplied to railways and other parties shall be employed only in the district in which they are supplied, as the Superintendent is responsible for their behaviour and inspection. Should the party to whom a guard has been supplied desire its transfer to another district, it may be transferred as required. The Superintendent of the district to which it is transferred shall then furnish the force and arrange for the proper inspection of the guard.

695. Treasury and magazine guards-Standing orders. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – The following are the rules for the guidance of armed guards, applicable to guards over treasuries and magazines. A translation of these rules into the vernacular spoken by the police shall be hung up in a conspicuous place where the officers on duty can see and study them.

(1) For each sentry posted, there must be specific orders by the Superintendent defining

(i) the sentry’s beat and front,

(ii) the position of the guard when it is required to fall in and

(iii) the distance at which intruders are to be challenged.

(2) When a sentry, who is to be posted at a new post has reached the post assigned to him, he shall be ordered to halt and face in the required direction. The officer posting the sentry shall then read and explain the orders to him, telling him the object for which he is posted and showing him the front of his beat. A copy of the orders for each post shall be hung up at the post.
(3) Sentries are to remain on the alert; they must not quit their arms, lounge, sit or lie down, take off any part of their uniform, or on any account converse with any one or quit their post. Sentries should ordinarily traverse the full extent of their beats at least once every five minutes, unless local orders to the contrary are prescribed.
(4) A sentry moving about on his post shall always turn outwards when turning about.
(5) On the occasion of the relief of the sentries, one of the head constables of the guard shall invariably post them, except where there is only one head constable, and then the lance-naik or senior constables of the guard may be deputed to see to the relief of the sentries during the day, but never during the night. Sentries shall load and unload their muskets only under the order of the Guard Commander.
(6) When a sentry violates his orders and is put upon his trial, the head constable or any other officer who posted him shall be called to prove the orders of that particular post.
(7) Head constables or other officers relieving sentries, as well as the sentry, shall satisfy themselves, on the occasion of each relief that all fastenings are secure. This should be particularly observed when relieving sentries at night.
(8) Sentries will be relieved every two hours. Guards at headquarters will be relieved daily and at subdivisions at least every fortnight, provided that where the local conditions are exceptional and the difficulties of sending reliefs are great, the maximum period may be extended to a week in the former Case and to one month in the latter with the special sanction of the Inspector-General. [See also clause (d) and note (iv) of regulation 1222].
(9) Treasury guards will invariably be relieved at the hour at which the treasury is opened. Whenever the officer-in-charge of the guard or the guard itself is relieved, the treasurer or some responsible officer appointed by him must go round with both the relieved and the relieving officers. They should examine all the doors and windows with their fastenings as well as the treasure chests and receptacles, and each should satisfy himself as to the safe condition of everything in the treasury strong-room building. A joint verbal report that the above role has been complied with should be made to the Treasury officer directly after such examination, and to the senior police officer present on his arrival in office, if the latter is within reasonable distance of the guard. A note will also be entered in the roster book. [See clause 16].
(10) The treasury strong-room or receptacles for treasure contained therein must on no account be opened or shut by. a Treasury officer except in the presence of the sentry and the officer on duty.
(11) As soon as the treasury is opened for the day, the doors and windows of the strong-room and their fastenings should be scrutinized, and the seals, locks, hinges, bolts, staples and chains of all receptacles of treasure in charge of the guard should be carefully examined. When the treasury is closed the Treasury officer should summon the officer-in-charge of the guard and the sentry on duty and direct them to satisfy themselves that everything is securely fastened, more particularly the treasury doors and windows. Entries to the above effect will be made on each occasion in the roster book.
(12) Special and immediate report must be sent to the Treasury officer and to the senior police officer present in the station should anything be found wrong or should any lock, bolt or other fastenings be found out of order or bear signs of having been tampered with.
(13) On such occasions or when any other defect or loss is noticed, no member of the guard shall leave the premises, until permitted to do so by the investigating officer.
(14) No box or other receptacle containing treasure shall be left outside the treasury rooms. If on any special occasion, this is found to be unavoidable, the Treasury officer shall at once report the matter to the senior police officer present at the headquarters or Sub-divisional station, who shall make special arrangements for the safe custody of the treasure, and report the necessity for such special arrangements to the Deputy Inspector-General of the Range. Should any of the officials of the Collectorate keep money or valuables in any place other than the treasury-room, the box containing such shall be properly secured and placed outside under the direct charge of the sentry, in the presence of the officer of the guard, The guard will only be responsible for such chests or safes as are kept outside the strong-room which are secured embedded in the wall or flush with the ground. In no case will the guard be responsible for the contents. When such chests are opened the officer-in-charge of the guard must be present, and he must test the lock or padlock as soon as it is again closed.
(15) No safe, chest, or any receptacle containing cash belonging to any department other than the treasury shall be placed under watch of the treasury guard sentry without the written permission of the Superintendent or, in his absence, the officer-in-charge of his duties. (The police cash chest forms an exception.)
(16) A roster of duty in B.P. Form No. 141 shall be kept by every officer-in-charge of a guard. The left-hand page should be written up every morning showing the names of sentries and hours of relief. On the right-hand page should be noted all reliefs, entries regarding which shall be signed both by relieving and relieved officers, all inspections of guards, doors, windows, padlocks, etc., the rounds of Treasury officer on opening or closing of treasuries, the visits of round officers, any temporary change for illness of sentries or of any member of the guard, any permission granted to any member of the guard to leave the precincts, as well as any other item of importance which may come to the notice of the officer-in-charge. It will be signed by all round and inspecting officers, including gazetted officers, who shall make any remarks that may be necessary about the condition of the guard.
(17) All head constables on guard duty shall be armed with muskets.
(18) (i) All sentries guarding buildings which contain treasure or arms shall be armed with muskets and shall wear two ordinary pouches and one expense pouch. One pouch shall contain ten rounds of ball in a cloth bag and the other ten rounds of buckshot in a cloth bag. The expense pouch shall contain four rounds of buckshot. The buttons of all three pouches shall remain unfastened. The sentry shall have one buckshot cartridge in the breach of his musket, the safety catch of which shall be ‘on’. The guard shall be provided with the same number of pouches and ammunition as sentries but they shall carry five rounds of buckshot in the expense-pouch and their muskets shall ordinarily not be loaded.
(ii) Treasury guards or other reliefs shall carry ten rounds of ball ammunition whenever they move.

(iii) Two sealed boxes each containing 180 rounds of ball ammunition (which will be changed once a year) shall be kept at each treasury guard room and one such box containing 180 rounds at each sub-treasury guard room for emergency. The sealed box or boxes will be kept in a strong wooden box which will be attached by a chain to the arms rack and well raised off the ground. One key shall be kept by the guard commander and a duplicate by the Court officer.

(19) During the day half the guard shall always remain at the treasury dressed and accoutred but from half an hour after sunset to sunrise the whole guard shall be present. Members of the guard shall not be allowed to go to the bazar for their meals.
(20) No fire shall on any account be allowed in treasury buildings. For lighting the zone of fire there should be powerful oil lamps with concave reflecting mirrors placed on posts, if necessary, in such a position as to throw a broad beam of light illuminating as large as held as possible, and at the same time leave the sentry in shadow. Each sentry should also be provided with a bull’s-eye lantern to enable him to look when necessary, into the strong-room, which will be left in darkness. The number of lamps required must vary according to the conditions of the treasury building but the Superintendent, who is responsible for the safety of the building, must be the final judge of the number required subject to the control of the Range Deputy Inspector-General. The lamps, lanterns and sufficient oil of 150 flash point shall be provided by the Collector or other officer-in-charge of the treasury, who shall also arrange for the daily cleaning and maintenance of the lamp and lanterns, which shall be renewed from time to time on the reasonable demand of the Superintendent.
(21) At headquarters, the Superintendent shall either himself inspect the guard or cause it to be inspected by his Assistant or other officers at short intervals. The Armed Inspector shall visit the sadar treasury guard at least once in every 24 hours, and he shall visit it between the hours of midnight and 3 a.m., once a week. His visits must be at uncertain hours and shall occasionally be so timed that he will be present at the time of the relief of sentries. Where there is a Sergeant or a Sub-Inspector in the District Armed Police, this officer may be occasionally deputed instead of the Inspector, but in no case shall the Inspectors visits be less than three by day and one by night in the week. In addition an officer shall be told off daily to visit all guards (see regulation 696), similarly, at Sub-divisional headquarters, the Circle Inspector, and in his absence, the Court officer, shall depute an officer once by day and once by night to visit the treasury guard. He shall also himself visit the guard at least twice by day and once by night each week when at headquarters. In subdivisions where a Sub-divisional Police Officer is posted, that officer shall visit the sub-treasury guard at least twice a week at night. It is the duty of superior officers to see that all officers visiting rounds are thoroughly acquainted with their duties and the points to which they should attend. Round officers shall invariably turn out the guard and not merely content themselves with visiting the sentries at night. They shall test the ability of the sentry to call out the guard from his post.
(22) Alarm parades. – (i) For emergency force. – During the inspection of the guard the Superintendent shall occasionally test the mobility of his emergency force by holding an alarm parade at the treasury. In carrying this out the following points should be observed. The emergency force shall carry out all movements at the double. They shall take every advantage of cover and avoid getting bunched up. Their primary object is to take possession of and hold the treasury. An alarm parade register in B. P. Form No. 142 shall be kept in the treasury guard room and shall be written up by the senior officer attending the parade.
(ii) For guards. – The men of the guard on hearing the alarm shall proceed direct to their posts remaining there in defence of the treasury till the arrival of the emergency force or until further orders.

(iii) For unarmed police. – Officers of this branch at district and Sub-divisional headquarters shall also attend alarm parade.

(23) Between sunset and sunrise sentries on treasuries shall call out the number of their post and “All is well” every half hour. If any sentry fails to do so, the fact shall beat once reported by any other sentry to the officer-in-charge of the guard.
(24) Where there are telephones connecting treasury guards and headquarters force, the relieving sentries at each end shall always, between sunset and sunrise, ring up to find out whether the telephone is in working order. If they fail to get a reply a constable shall be sent from the headquarters force to see whether the wires have been tampered with. An extra constable shall be kept for this purpose alone in the guard-room of the headquarters force. The head constable, when visiting his sentries, shall also ring up occasionally. A register shall be maintained, in which the name of each sentry on the treasury guard shall be noted as soon as he rings up headquarters.
(25) The bulk of cash at Sub-divisional treasuries shall be kept under double locks, the key of the one remaining with Sub-divisional Magistrate and of the other with the treasurer.
(26) The duplicate keys of the Chubb’s locks which are in use for the record-room doors of the officers of Collectors are to be placed in a sealed packet and handed over to the officer-in-charge of the treasury guard. The sealed packet will be examined once a week by the record-room Deputy Collector. The Registration record-room keys may be similarly made over to the police guard, in which case, the sealed packet will be examined once a week by the District Sub-Registrar. But except as provided for below no officer-in-charge or constable of any guard shall take charge of the key of any strong-room, safe or receptacle in which treasure is kept.
(27) When the nazir or any responsible member of the office establishment of the Civil Court does not reside in the close vicinity of the Court house, the duplicate keys of the office shall be handed over to the officer-in-charge of the treasury guard, in a cover secured with the seal of the Court. The officer-in-charge shall only deliver up the keys in the even of an alarm of fire between sunset and sunrise, or upon presentation of written order from one of the presiding officers of the Courts concerned.
(28) Should anyone approach the post or building between the hour of sunset and sunrise the sentry must challenge such person and order him to halt. Should he fail to get a satisfactory reply he will bring his musket to the ‘ready’ and take off the safety catch, at the same time calling out loudly for the guard to ‘stand to’. Should the intruder still fail to obey the order to halt and persist in approaching the sentry’s post, the sentry should again order him to halt and, at the same time, threaten to fire. Should the intruder still refuse to halt, the sentry may, at his discretion, use his bayonet or fire. Should there be more than one intruder and should they disobey the orders of the sentry and attempt to rush the building, he should not hesitate to open fire at once.
(29) Arms belonging to members of the guard who are not on duty should be kept in strong wooden racks, the muzzles of the muskets being passed through holes bored in the headrail of the rack, the heel-plates embedded in deep sockets in the lower rail, and an iron rod with a round knob at one end and a ring at the other passed through the upright of the rack and the trigger guards of the muskets and secured by a padlock, the key of which will be in possession of the head constable. A box with a padlock should also be provided in which to keep the packets and loose rounds of members of the guard who are not on duty, the head constable being responsible for their distribution and collection, respectively, where the guard falls in at sunset and sunrise for inspection. The head constable and all the guards shall be accommodated in one room, if possible, the arms being kept in the same room at a distance from windows and doors. The Superintendent should see that no one can enter the guard-room, except by a door in full view of the sentry.
(30) The entire guard shall be paraded in uniform under arms at sunrise and sunset and shall be carefully inspected by the officer, in command. He shall then read out the orders in force relating to the guard, the roster of duty for the day, and shall collect or distribute the ammunition as detailed above before discharging the guard.
(31) The following are the duties of head constables-in-charge of guards and sentries. Superintendents and other inspecting officers shall see that these orders are strictly followed :-
(i) Each guard shall ordinarily be in the charge of not less than two head constables. The senior head constable shall be solely responsible for the guard unless he is too ill to carry out his duties when he shall hand over the command to the other head constable and at once inform his superior officer and get relieved.

(ii) Both head constables shall not be absent from the guard at one and the same time.

(iii) If the senior head constable leaves the guard for any reason he shall inform the junior head constable, stating where he is going and the length of time he is likely to be absent, so that he can easily be called, if required. The fact must also be entered in the roster book.

(iv) The junior head constable shall only leave the guard with the sanction of the senior head constable. This must also be recorded in the roster book.

(v) The duties should be divided between the head constables according to mutual arrangement. Two hours on and two hours off or four hours on and four hours off are suitable periods. The term agreed upon is to be shown in the roster book.

(vi) The head constable on duty shall not sleep during his turn of duty and he shall be responsible for the proper supervision of the guard during his turn of duty.

(vii) The head constable while on duty shall –

(1) visit the sentries every hour;

(2) see that the sentries are properly and punctually posted and relieved and know their orders, and actually be present at each posting and relief;

(3) see that the sentries perform their duties properly;

(4) see that the guard is ready to turn out at a moment’s notice and that it does so smartly.

(5) see that the men are properly dressed and accoutered;

(6) see that the arms and ammunition in his charge are kept in their right places; and

(7) see that all other property or persons under his charge are being properly looked after.

(viii) The senior head constables shall be responsible for the conduct of his men and the cleanliness of the arms of the guard.

Note. – The rules regarding strong-rooms and the methods for the storage of coins in Government treasuries are laid down in the Provincial Treasury Rules and the Subsidiary Rules made thereunder.

696. An officer to be detailed for night rounds. Register of visiting guards. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – An officer shall be told off daily to visit all guards once a night, at uncertain hours. The name of this officer, with other particulars shall be entered in a register in B.P. Form No. 143. No entry in the district order book is needed. The Superintendent shall see that the hour of visiting the guards is varied, and that the services of the officer detailed are also utilized for seeing that the Town Police are on the alert. On the following morning the officer who visited the guards shall submit report in B.P. Form No. 144. In subdivisions this register shall be kept by Circle Inspectors.

697. Police guards for jails. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) No guard shall be supplied except upon real emergency to any jail without the knowledge of the Inspector-General of Prisons and the approval of the Range Deputy Inspector-General.
(b) If in any emergency a Superintendent may think it his duty to supply a guard, the fact shall be reported at once to the Deputy Inspector-General.

(c) The occasions on which the Jail Superintendent may apply for police guard and the rules pertaining to them are in Appendix XXXVIII.

698. Outbreaks in jails. – Rule 474 of the Bengal Jail Code is reproduced for the information and guidance of Police officers –
“Where the police lines are sufficiently near a jail for the alarm signal to be heard there the constables stationed at the police lines shall take part in alarm parades, and if there is an outbreak they shall march to the jail to assist to quell it. The Superintendent shall make with the Superintendent of Police such arrangements as seem advisable for a concerted plan of action in the case of an outbreak.”

Comment :-  In view of the fact that the Superintendent of Police is specially trained in the duties connected with the quelling of disturbances, this rule should be interpreted to mean that in the event of an outbreak in a jail the Superintendent of the Jail should ordinarily ask the Superintendent of Police to take charge of the operations. The Superintendent of the Jail will continue to remain in charge of the jail. (Government of Bengal, Revenue Department, Order No. 2385 R. J., dated the 7th March, 1923.)

699. Senior officer to take command of guard. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) When a police guard is supplied, the senior police officer present shall take Command of all those who from the guard, whether police, warders, chaukidars or the like.
(b) Inspection. – The officer in command is responsible for the conduct of the guard. The Superintendent shall either himself inspect the guard or cause it to be inspected at short intervals.

(c) Accommodation. – Accommodation shall be provided and arrangements for water-supply shall be made by the department to which, or person to whom, the guard is furnished; but when guards are supplied for jail health camps, if the Superintendent can supply tents, they shall use them instead.

700. Armed Inspector to see that the force detailed for guard and escort duties is properly equipped. [§12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) The Armed Inspector is responsible for telling off head constables, naiks and constables for guard and escort duties. Before the force leaves the police lines the Armed Inspector, or in his absence the Sergeant or the Sub-Inspector or the senior drill instructor, shall satisfy himself that it is properly equipped and shall make a note of such inspection in the roster of duty.
(b) No unauthorized articles to be taken by guards and escorts. – Guards and escorts shall not take with them any articles that are not part of their uniform except bedding and that only if long distances have to be travelled.

701. Escort requisitions and general rules regarding escorts. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) Escorts shall be furnished only on written indents from competent authority. A separate requisition shall be made for each escort required in B. P. Form No. 145 and escort parties shall be distinguished from each other by the number of the requisition. Persons authorised to indent for escort parties shall be supplied with books of requisition forms by the Superintendent.
(b) The Superintendent shall determine the strength of the escort to be supplied when it is not laid down by rule. (See regulations 704-707.)

(c) Forty-eight hours’ notice in ordinary cases and 72 hours’ notice in the case of escorts proceeding beyond the limits of the province (exclusive of Sundays and holidays) shall be given to the Superintendent to enable him to furnish an escort of the proper strength. But in urgent cases, on requisition from competent authority, Superintendents shall do their best to supply or relieve escorts at short notice.

(d) Superintendents shall report promptly to the Deputy Inspector-General of the Range, by telegram when necessary, when they anticipate difficulty in providing escorts within the time fixed by district officers. In such cases special arrangements shall be made by the Deputy Inspector-General for the supply of the force.

(e) As a rule railway and inland steam navigation lines shall be utilized as much as possible, and the shortest road from one place to another shall be taken.

(f) When large escorts are sent sufficient accommodation in the train or steamer or bus shall be reserved in good time and each Assistant Sub-Inspector or head constable shall be definitely in charge of a specified number of men of whom he shall have a list.

(g) All arrangements as regards carriage shall devolve upon the officer to whom the escort is supplied, and shall not in any way form part of the duty of the police. [See regulation 703(b)].

(h) Prisoners and treasure shall not, except under special circumstances, be sent together.

(i) Superintendents shall not despatch treasure or receive charge of it for despatch by railway until assured that arrangements have been made for receiving it at the station of arrival.

(j) Escorts shall never travel by night, except when proceeding by railway, steamer or boat, or under special instructions and the marches shall be regulated so as to take advantage of police-stations or other places of security in which to lodge prisoners and treasure when halting for the night.

(k) With a view to utilizing as much as possible escorts returning to their districts, indenting officers having prisoners or treasure to be escorted to any place on the line of march shall apply to the senior local police officer present to depute a return escort or any. portion of it for this purpose and such police officer shall, unless there be good grounds for refusal, comply with the requisition and make all necessary arrangements in accordance with rule, sending by the next post, to the Superintendent of the district to which the escort belongs, a copy of the orders he has given to the officer-in-charge of the party.

(l) Advantage shall be taken of returning escorts whenever possible for the despatch of treasure or prisoners to the district to which they belong or any district on their line of route. Officers-in-charge of escorts of any kind shall, on arrival at their destination, enquire from the authorities of the district whether any prisoners or treasure are awaiting transfer to their own district or in any district en route, and shall take charge of any that may be made over to them for escort. The escort commander shall report himself to the local Superintendent who shall make any arrangement that may be necessary for strengthening the return escort. Escorts arriving at Calcutta shall enquire at both the Alipore and the Presidency Jails.

(m) Escorts, when halting at headquarters or subdivisions prior to escorting prisoners or treasure back to their own districts, shall remain together in the police lines or the police-station compound.

(n) When any treasury official is sent in charge of a remittance he shall remain present whilst the treasure is being examined and shall take back all bags and padlocks. If the escort is returning to the station of original despatch, the chests, etc. should be sent back under its charge, coolies, cart-hire and freight being paid by the treasury.

(o) Male prisoners, when heavily fettered, shall invariably be conveyed to and from railway and steamer stations in cares or carriages.

(p) Female and juvenile prisoners shall be separated as far as possible from adult male prisoners. Female prisoners whether convicted or undertrial while on transit shall invariably be accompanied by a female warder to be furnished by the Jail Department.

(q) When an escort proceeds by boat or road, and one or more nights may be expected to intervene before it arrives at its destination, one hurricane lantern for every 10 men, with a sufficiency of oil or funds to procure it, shall be made over to the senior officer of the escort by the Reserve office for use during the journey. In every place, hut or tent, where prisoners are confined or treasure guarded during halts, and at every place of detention on railways owing to change of trains or steamers, etc., at night, a hurricane lantern shall be suspended, so that the treasure or prisoners may be in the full light.

(r) The segregation of prisoners, etc., travelling by railway as obligatory whenever –

(i) military prisoners are sent;

(ii) the aggregate number of prisoners and guards seat exceeds eight in number;

(iii) even one prisoner is sent if violent or dangerous; and

(iv) insanes, civil or military, are sent.

(s) Whenever compartments are reserved for the transport of prisoners or lunatics or iron frames attached in order to segregate prisoners or lunatics, payment shall be made at the rates charged by the different railways to the general public for reserved, accommodation. In other cases prisoners may be carried by ordinary trains at ordinary rates.

(t) When convicts proceed the whole or part of their journey by road, they shall not be marched more than 20 miles in one day. [See clause (j)].

(u) (i) When at any time it becomes necessary to allow convicts to stop for necessary purposes, the whole party shall be halted, and not more than two convicts at a time detached for such purpose. These convicts shall have shackles put on, their legs singly, and the handcuffs being then removed, they shall be allowed to proceed to a distance of not more than 12 paces from the escort. The halting place shall be carefully selected in a clear and open piece of ground. The handcuffs shall not be removed until the leg-shackles are securely adjusted and vice versa.

(ii) Ordinarily two halts shall be permitted in one day to attend to necessary purposes, in addition to the authorized halt, to allow the convicts to cook and eat their food.

(iii) When a police-station lying en route is used as a halting place the officer-in-charge of such police-station shall give all reasonable aid to the escort commander; but all arrangements for feeding and guarding the convicts devolve during the halt on the police escort and not on the local police.

(iv) To prevent dangerous overcrowding, each lock-up in which prisoners are accommodated for the night, shall be measured and the number the room is capable of holding shall be printed on the door. Each prisoner shall have not less than 9 square feet of sleeping space and at least 10 square inches of ventilating openings. In very hot weather verandahs shall, if possible, be occupied instead of closed rooms.

(v) At stations where there is a railway police lock-up, all necessary, be placed in the lock-up, the escort providing the sentry.

(w) (i) The regulations regarding escort of prisoners by railway shall, as far as possible, be applicable in case of escort of prisoners by steamer. Prisoners sentenced to more than 6 months’ rigorous imprisonment, prisoners awaiting trial for serious offences who have previous convictions, or who are reported to be dangerous, should be put in leg-shackles as well as handcuffs. At night a light chain should be passed through the fetters of each prisoner and the end tied to the sentry, or the ends padlocked to stanchions.

(ii) A chain should also be used whenever a prisoner goes to the closet, the end of the chain being passed under the door.

(iii) On river steamers the escort commander shall report all circumstances connected with the convicts in his custody to the Commander or Serang of the steamer or flat, to whom he shall apply in all difficulties for advice and assistance and from whom he will receive all orders, necessary for the safe custody and well-being of the convicts.

(x) Men supplied from police-station to strengthen escorts shall be relieved at the next police-station in the line of route.

702. Procedure on receipt of escort requisition. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) On receipt of an escort requisition, the head clerk shall fill up the printed order on the reverse of it, showing the strength of the escort and the amount of daily allowance or mileage, if any, considered necessary to be advanced to the escort, and shall lay the requisition and the necessary pay cheque; if any, before the Superintendent for approval and signature, after which he shall send them to the Armed Inspector.
(b) The Reserve officer shall then prepare a command certificate in B. P. Form No. 10 after entering on it the annual serial number of the escort, the names of all the men composing the escort, the name of the relieving, station, if any, the number of railway warrant, if any, or the amount, if any, advanced for travelling expenses; and any particulars furnished by the jail or asylum authorities as to the dangerous character, etc., of prisoners or lunatics. The Reserve officer shall be responsible for explaining all details entered in the command certificate to the escort commander and shall direct him to report himself with his party to the indenting officer half an hour before the time fixed, and also to the chief police officer of the place of destination after making over charge of the prisoners or treasure.

(c) The Armed Inspector shall make over the money advanced to the escort commander, take his receipt on the pay cheque, and give him the command certificate and such further instructions as are necessary.

(d) When the same boat or conveyance is used by both prisoners or treasure, etc., and by the escort, a fair proportion of the hire should be defrayed by the. Police Department. [Note (K), Appendix B, Bengal Government Circular No. IF., dated the 21st March, 1907].

(e) Advances under article 159, Civil Account Code, limited to actual expenses may be made to Inspectors and all non-gazetted police officers employed on escort duty or camp guard if required to perform journeys by road, steamer or railway for which travelling allowance is admissible under the Fundamental and Subsidiary Rules.

(f) For the payment of expenses incurred in bringing undertrial prisoners to the Magistrates’ Court, see regulation 333.

(g) On return of the escort, the Armed Inspector or the Reserve officer as the case may be, shall fill up the memorandum at the foot of the escort requisition and return it with the balance, if any, due to the Provincial Government to the head clerk, who shall adjust the account either receiving the unexpended balance or paying the balance due to the escort. From the escort requisition and command certificate the accountant shall prepare the travelling allowance bill for the escort and shall return the requisition and the command certificate duly defaced to be filed with the counterfoil of the latter.

703. Duties of escort commanders. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) (i) Before the escort fall in for inspection, (vide regulation 700) the escort commander shall appear before the Reserve officer to receive necessary instructions and to take over such handcuffs, leg-shackles and lanterns as may be required. He shall take notes of these instructions in his roster.
(ii) While proceeding by railway on escort duty he shall travel in the same compartment with his men and will draw travelling allowance at the prescribed rates.

(b) He shall not move, without written instructions as to procedure en route, from the officer to whom the escort is supplied and he shall not take charge of any prisoner, lunatic or treasure, unless the officer to whom the escort is furnished pays the railway fare or provides a pass for such person or treasure up to the station at which the entire railway journey will cease, and provides food or money for its purchase for the person or persons to be escorted. [See regulation 701(g)],

(c) He shall keep all persons and things under escort as close together as possible, to ensure efficient surveillance, placing the police in the rear and on each flank. For this purpose he shall himself remain in the rear. The firearms of the guard shall be examined in the presence of the prisoners or drivers of the treasure carts.

(d) He shall permit no communication on any account between outsiders and prisoners or drivers of treasure carts.

(e) When he makes over charge at the place of final destination to the officer authorized to receive the prisoners or things escorted, he shall take a receipt for every person or thing delivered, which he shall submit to the Reserve office on return.

(f) Escorts returning to their station shall be brought back by the escort commander in a body under proper discipline and shall not be permitted to break off or dawdle on the way.

(g) Before taking charge of convicts, he shall see that handcuffs and fetters are secure and in good order, and that none of the convicts can possibly rid themselves of them without aid. This examination shall be repeated whenever the convicts halt or resume their journey. The handcuffs shall be provided by the police.

(h) Before starting, he shall search the prisoners to see that they have no silk, string, wire, files, knives or other weapons secreted about their persons, and he shall check all prisoners and their property with the list made over to him. The same precaution shall be taken by relieving and relieved officers whenever an escort is relieved.

(i) When a railway pass or food for the whole journey is not given by the jail, a sum of money sufficient to meet all expenses of dieting and carriage of the convicts on the road shall be provided and given to the escort commander by the authorities of the jail from which the convicts are sent, and he shall meet all expenditure on account of the convicts from this fund. He shall keep an account of all expenditure on account of the convicts, and whenever that expenditure is made at any police-station or other Government establishment, the officer-in-charge of such station, etc., shall attest such expenditure on the above account. [See clause (s).]

(j) He shall, on reaching his destination, render a detailed account of the funds entrusted to him to the Superintendent of the receiving jail.

(k) (i) He shall when travelling by railway at once report to the station-master and ask him to wire to the nearest hospital if any member of the escort or any prisoner in custody of the escort be attacked by illness, such as cholera, necessitating immediate medical help. The cost of the telegram shall be borne by the Police Department. The Railway Police on duty at the station shall also be informed of the illness as early as possible and shall render all the assistance possible.

(ii) In case of journeys by boat, or road, if a convict or a coolie of treasure escort becomes so seriously ill as to be unfit for travelling, he shall be left at the next police-station. A convict shall be taken to the nearest jail or lock-up and a coolie to the nearest hospital. The fact shall be noted in the roster and report of the circumstances made to the Superintendent, the requisitioning officer and the officer to whom the escort has to deliver up its charge. In case of sickness another coolie shall be engaged with the help of the local police.

(iii) In case of sickness in steamer journeys recourse shall be had to the medical assistance available on board the steamer, and the officer-in-charge of the escort shall be guided by the advice of the medical officer.

(iv) If a convict coupled to another falls sick, he shall be detached from his companion, the latter being coupled to any odd convict there may be in the party, or handcuffs may be put on him alone. Should cholera appear on the march either among the convicts or the carriers of treasure, or the guard, the party shall halt immediately, and the escort commander will apply for orders and assistance at the nearest police-station.

(v) In case of death among convicts, he shall report the fact to the nearest police-station and shall make arrangements for the due custody of the corpse by the chaukidar of the place where the death occurs. The officer-in-charge of the station, when such death is reported, shall dispose of the body in the usual manner, should there be no suspicion as to the cause of death.

(l) (i) Escort commanders are only justified in ordering fire upon a prisoner in the event of a murderous attack by the prisoner upon any person, which cannot be -prevented by other means and which would place the person attacked in imminent danger of death or injury.

(ii) The escort should be instructed that they should not fire upon a prisoner without orders from the escort commander unless obliged to do so in self-defence.

(iii) When a member of an escort party discovers a prisoner attempting to escape, he shall at once raise an alarm, but shall not fire upon the escaping prisoner.

(m) When an escape takes place from an escort party, the escort commander shall give prompt notice at the nearest police-station and proceed with the remaining prisoners. If recapture be not immediately effected, the warrant and documents relating to the prisoner and his property shall be returned to the jail whence he was despatched.

(n) He will, if attacked, defend his charge to the best of his ability according to the circumstances of the case. If his assailants are unarmed he should endeavour to ward them off with fixed bayonets but if they are armed he should not hesitate to open fire.

(o) (i) Before placing the prisoners in the train and again when alighting he shall satisfy himself by examination that the irons and handcuffs of the prisoners are secure.

(ii) Before placing the prisoners in a carriage fitted with cages he shall see that the cages are tightly and securely fastened. If any part of the fittings appears to be loose or unsafe, the fact shall be brought to the station-master’s notice.

(iii) Prisoners shall ordinarily be kept together in one compartment of a third class carriage and shall be attended by the escort, two of whom when there are enough men, shall be seated at each door of the carriage. Each man shall be careful to keep his arms safely by his side.

(iv) If there be not room for the whole of the escort and, the prisoners in one compartment, both escort and prisoners shall be divided, so that prisoners shall never be without men of the escort being in the same compartment, at least one at each door.

(v) As soon as the train stops at any station, he shall get out and see that the escort is vigilant and that proper order and discipline are maintained among the prisoners. If it is necessary to allow prisoners to leave the train for any purpose, one man from the escort shall be told off to accompany each prisoner. If further assistance should be required, it shall be demanded from the Railway Police. Not more than two prisoners shall be allowed out of the train at a time, and only one when the escort does not exceed three men.

(p) He shall invariably inform the police of any station or outpost which may be in his way of the passing of the escort; and, if necessary, men shall be deputed from such station or outpost to accompany the escort to the next station en route, with a view to prevent communication with prisoners or drivers of treasure carts, and to protect the party from surreptitious theft.

(q) He shall be responsible only for the preservation and safe delivery of the boxes or cases made over to him with unbroken seal, untampered with, and in the condition in which they are committed to him. He should refuse to take charge of any box or package which is not substantially and safely packed, or which bears any appearance of having been tampered with.

(r) He shall whenever the party escorting treasure has to halt at a railway station, ask for the assistance of the Railway Police in getting a proper place in which to rest and keep the “treasure. One of the rooms used by the Railway Police as a’ station-house shall ordinarily be given up for the night.

(s) On return of the escort he shall report himself to the Armed Inspector or in his absence to the Sergeant or senior Sub-Inspector at the Reserve office and give an account of his expenditure, if any.

704. Strength of escorts for prisoners, and treasure and stamps. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – The scales prescribed for escorts for prisoners, treasure and stamps by road, country boat, railway and steamer are given in Appendix XXXIX.

705. Escorts of treasure by railway. [§12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) When treasure is escorted by railway, the strength of escorts shall be the same as by road (vide Appendix XXXIX) up to the maximum prescribed in regulation 706 for journey by steamer.
(b) The station-master shall give the escort a paper notifying that it is in charge of treasure loaded in so many wagons.

(c) No escort is necessary in the case of remittances consisting exclusively of copper, bronze or nickel coin when sent by railway from one treasury to another. Remittances partly of silver and partly of copper, bronze or nickel coin will be sent under an escort.

705. Escorts of treasure by railway. [§12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) When treasure is escorted by railway, the strength of escorts shall be the same as by road (vide Appendix XXXIX) up to the maximum prescribed in regulation 706 for journey by steamer.

(b) The station-master shall give the escort a paper notifying that it is in charge of treasure loaded in so many wagons.

(c) No escort is necessary in the case of remittances consisting exclusively of copper, bronze or nickel coin when sent by railway from one treasury to another. Remittances partly of silver and partly of copper, bronze or nickel coin will be sent under an escort.

(d) Third class free carriage on the outward and return journey may be demanded from the railways noted below on the following scale :-

(i)	When consignments weigh over 54 maunds and under 135 maunds	…	One man.
(ii)	When consignments weigh over 135 maunds and under 270 maunds	…	Two men
(iii)	When consignments weigh 270 maunds and over … … …	…	Four men.

(1) All railways administered by the State.

(2) Bengal and North-Western Railway.

(3) Madras and Southern Marhatta Railway.

(4) Mysore State Railway.

(5) Lucknow-Bareilly section of the Rohilkhand and Kumaon Railway.

(6) Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway.

(7) Bengal-Nagpur Railway.

(8) South Indian Railway.

(9) Dibru-Sadiya Railway.

(10) All railways over which Government may hereafter reserve control in such matters.

Comment:- (i) Poddars in charge generally make use of this concession

(ii) The equivalents of these weights in money-value would be as follows:-

Silver coin –
54 maunds to 135 maunds	…	Rs. 1,50,000 to Rs. 3,75,000
135 maunds to 270 maunds		Rs. 3,75,000 to Rs. 7,50,000
270 maunds and over maunds		Rs. 7,50,000
Copper coin –
54 maunds to 135 maunds	…	Rs. 4,510 to Rs. 11,275
135 maunds to 270 maunds		Rs. 11,275 to Rs. 22,550
270 maunds and over maunds		Rs. 22550

One maund of copper coin packed for remittance is estimated to equal the value of Rs. 82.

706. Escort of treasure by steamer. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) When treasure is conveyed by steamer, a guard of one head constable and six armed constables shall be detailed with any amount not exceeding one lakh. The men shall furnish one sentry by day and two by night, if necessary. With a despatch of treasure exceeding one lakh, the guard shall be increased in proportion up to a maximum of 12 constables.
(b) When, however, copper, bronze or nickel coin is transmitted by steamer, a police guard need not accompany the remittance. It shall be made over to the Commander or Serang of the steamer by the police officer who escorts it on board. The latter shall be furnished with receipts by the despatching officer, which shall be signed by the Commander or Serang of the steamer. These receipts shall then be forwarded to the Superintendent of the district to which the remittance is sent, who, on arrival of the steamer at his station, shall depute a proper guard to take charge of the amount, granting receipts for the same.

707. Escort of currency notes by railway. [§12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) When currency notes are sent by railway, the strength of the escort shall be determined by the police authorities, but a minimum of not less than two police officers shall be detailed for the duty. The notes shall be carefully packed in sealed parcels or boxes. The guard shall have the box containing the notes in the same carriage with it and shall sit in the end compartment of the carriage with the box under the seat against the outer or end planking. If the box be too large to go under the seat, sufficient accommodation shall be reserved on the terms usually charged by the railway companies.
(b) The escort commander shall sign the original invoice sent to the Treasury officer to whom the notes are consigned as well as the copy kept for record. He need not count the notes and his signature is only a receipt for a packet said to contain certain notes.

708. Special Instructions for escorting treasure by railway. [§12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) The following instructions for the guidance of police officers-in-charge of remittances of treasure by railway are based on the orders issued in the Government of India’s Resolution No. 144 of 12th January, 1880.
(i) The police officer taking charge of a treasure escort travelling by railway will not see the treasure, packed at the treasury, but he will see the boxes weighed and satisfy himself that each box is properly secured before it is transferred to the van and that it is properly placed therein. Before the treasure is loaded, he shall examine the van and see that all openings or ventilators are safely fastened and that the van is secure in every way. If any defects are found he shall immediately bring the matter to the notice of the station-master and unless they are remedied or another and secure van provided he shall decline to load the treasure and forthwith report the matter to the Superintendent and the Treasury or Bank officer.

(ii) The escort should be accommodated in a brake-van attached to the treasure-van, or in the end compartment of the carriage next adjoining the treasure-van, and the doors of the escorts carriage should never be locked.

(iii) The escort commander will wire to the receiving officer the number of the train (passenger or goods) conveying the remittance and its hour of departure and will also wire again en route if any change in the train has been made or anything has occurred to delay its arrival.

(iv) An officer relieving such an escort will see that the numbers of the wagons agree with those given in the blank receipt tendered for his signature, that the locks as well as all openings and ventilators in the van are secure, that the seals are unbroken and bear no sign of having been tampered with and that the locked doors of the van cannot be opened.

(v) The escort commander should be provided with a lantern which will burn all night, and should cause a sentry to alight at every alternate stopping place and ascertain that the locks have not been tampered with. During any long stoppage a sentry must remain on duty at the door of the treasure wagon (both on the rear and off side of the wagon). If there be several such wagons, it will suffice to tell off four sentries, who may stand one on either side of the train at each end of the wagons.

(vi) In case of a breakdown separating a convoy, the escort commander should separate his party, attaching himself to the disabled portion.

(vii) On delivering the boxes at the treasury to which they are addressed, he will obtain a receipt for “… bags said to contain coin to the value of Rs. …” or for “… boxes, with marks and weights detailed in the invoice, said to contain coin or notes to the value of Rs. …”. If any box be of short weight or show signs of having been tampered with, it should be opened in the presence of the escort officer; otherwise, he should be allowed to return at once.

The form of receipt to be used by a relieving guard should run thus :-
“Received charge from …, Police officer of district of Railway wagon No. … said to contain boxes aggregating Rs. wagon No. … said to contain boxes aggregating Rs. … (and so on). The wagons were duly locked and sealed, one key for each made over; Receipts to be given by other relieving guards are also acknowledged.”
The number and contents of each wagon should be detailed in case of a breakdown. The receipts should be in English, if the Police officer is acquainted with that language; otherwise, in the language ordinarily used by the officer.
Note. – If the seals on a wagon are broken or bear signs of being tampered with or if wagon has not been sealed, it is the duty of the relieving escort officer to insist on the wagon being opened and the number of boxes counted before he gives a receipt, to the relieved officer. In such cases, the fact of the wagon having been opened and the number of boxes counted should be endorsed on the receipt.

(viii) The escort officer will present the command certificate for examination to the remitting treasury or Bank Officer before the remittance is handed over to him. He should also present it for examination to the Treasury or Bank Officer taking charge of the treasure. The latter will satisfy himself that he is taking over the treasure from the officer named in the command certificate and will at the same time check the strength of the escort with that started in the command certificate, noting any difference that he may find. When all is correct, he will merely sign the command certificate.

(ix) Whenever any breach of these rules occurs, the escort commander must insist on the treasure-van being detached from the trains and should immediately telegraph the facts to the remitting officer, to his own departmental superior, and to the Traffic Manager of the Railway.

(x) When a poddar accompanies a remittance he is responsible during the whole course of the journey for the contents of the boxes and the police guard acts as an escort. The poddar will not interfere in any way in the performance by the escort of its legitimate duties but he must be permitted to satisfy himself that all necessary precautions are being taken. In the event of damage occurring to a box it is the duty of the poddar to take over any coin that may fall out and to verify the contents and repack the box if repacking becomes necessary. The escort commander must not permit the poddar to be interfered with in the execution of his duties.

(b) When making a requisition on the railway authorities for carriage of specie, the Treasury officer will request the station-master to give the escort commander a note stating that it is in charge of treasure loaded in so many wagons and giving the number of each wagon.

(c) On no account shall any Government remittance of specie be carried in a passenger carriage. It shall always be booked.

(d) When Government treasure is loaded for despatch by railway the doors on the off side of the van shall be safely secured from the inside and all doors that can be opened from the outside shall be secured by good padlocks supplied by the Treasury officer. The officer-in-charge of the escort shall obtain a receipt for these padlocks from any guard which may relieve him, or from the Treasury officer of destination.

(e) (i) Treasure for remittance shall be packed in stout bags, tied and sealed after a slip of paper has been placed in each, naming the treasury at which it was packed, the tale and description of the contents, and the name of the person who counted the contents; the Treasury officer shall satisfy himself generally of the contents of the bag.

(ii) For journey by road, the bags may be packed in treasure tumbrils, or in large chests placed in carts at the door of the treasury in the presence of the Treasury officer; for journeys by railway or boat or (if convenient) by road, they shall be packed in stout boxes capable of containing Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 6,000 each, screwed and bound with iron without gunny covering or ropes, and the hoops should be riveted together where they cross; every box shall have the name of the treasury of despatch cut into or painted on it with a number.

(f) If any chest, tumbril, or wagon be secured by double locks, one key should be held by the poddar and the other by the escort commander; if there be only one lock, the key should be held by the poddar, but the escort commander is responsible for not allowing the chest or wagon to be opened before arrival at its destination, save in case of a breakdown, when the treasure must be removed in his presence. In the case of remittances sent without poddars single locks should be used and the keys should be entrusted to the escort commander in a sealed cover which he should not open except when absolutely necessary in the case of a breakdown on the road.

(g) When remittances are sent by steamers, the weight of each box shall be taken and noted at the time of its receipt on board the steamer. This shall be done in the presence of the agent (if there be one) accompanying the treasure on the part of the treasurer.

(h) (i) When boats are used for escorting treasure or prisoners they shall be provided by the requisitioning authority.

(ii) Boats shall on no account be more than 20 yards apart when travelling, and when anchored shall be tied together bow and stern.

(iii) At least four constables shall travel in each boat, two in front and two behind the roofed-in portion.

(iv) The escort commander shall be particularly careful to see that each box designed for water conveyance, or having to cross any stream in transit by land, is attached to a buoy, formed of a piece of unsplit bamboo about 3 feet in length and not less, than 9 inches in circumference, with a rope at least 20 cubits in length, one end of which shall be fastened to the box and other to an orifice in the bamboo buoy. The length of rope shall, of course, be increased in proportion to the known depth of the rivers by which the treasure is to be conveyed. This rope shall never be wound about the box, but shall be loosely coiled with the buoy upon box, so that, in the event of the boats sinking, the buoy may readily indicate the position of treasure and lead to its immediate recovery.

(v) Should any boat or a steamer sink, the escort shall remain close to the spot, till relieved or till the treasure is recovered.

(vi) Invoices shall be prepared in triplicate, and shall give the marks on every tumbril or chest, and the number and contents of each, and the marks and gross weight and the contents of every box. The escort commander shall count the bags as they are being stowed in the tumbril or chest or shall see the boxes weighed, and shall sign the receipt at the foot of each copy of the invoice as responsible for “… bags packed in tumbrils or boxes of marks and weights, detailed above, said to contain coin to the value of Rs. …..” The blanks shall be filled up in words, and if the escort commander be ignorant of English, he shall be required to write the number of bags or boxes which he has received in the vernacular on the copy to be retained by the Treasury officer; another copy shall be despatched by post on the same day to the remittee, and the third made over to the escort commander.

Each invoice shall also be signed by the police officer to whose care the parcel is entrusted when notes are sent under the charge of a guard, but the police officer is not required to count the notes, as his signature is only a receipt for a packet said to contain certain notes. One invoice shall be sent by post to the Treasury office to whom the notes are consigned, and the other shall accompany the parcel.
(j) When the escort commander is relieved in the course of the journey, he will obtain a receipt for “tumbrils in good order said to contain coin to the value of Rs. …. in bags” or for “….. boxes in good order, said to contain coin (or notes) to the value of Rs. …. .” When the remittance reaches the addressee, the latter shall count the bags and weight the boxes and give a receipt for “…., bags, said to contain coin to the value of Rs. …” or for “…. boxes of marks and weights detailed in the invoice said to contain coin (or notes) to the value of Rs. … .” Except in the cases referred to in clause (k), the escort commander shall be allowed to return at once.

(k) In all cases in which there may be reasons to suspect that a remittance has been tampered with, either from external appearance or from a discrepancy between the description and weight of the boxes and the particulars given in the invoice, it shall be opened and examined forthwith in the presence of the Treasury officer and of the escort commander, and a strict enquiry shall be instituted in the event of any deficiency being discovered and the result reported by the Treasury officer to the remitting officer, to any officer who may have forwarded the remittance intermediately, and to the officer of account direct.

(l) When treasure sent by railway arrives at its destination at night it shall not, if it is in a special wagon, be unloaded till morning. But when the treasure is in a brake van or on a steamer, and unloading at night is unavoidable, the escort sent to the station should be rather larger than the minimum scale laid down for the escort of treasure by road. The part of the station or land where the treasure is being moved should be carefully lighted.

(m) Treasury officers may not refuse to receive remittances on the ground that the day is an authorised holiday. They should, however, remember not to despatch a remittance in a date which will probably cause its arrival on a day on which the treasury is ordinarily closed, such as Sundays or gazetted treasury holidays.

709. Escort for money so and from the treasury or to post office. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – When a bill is sent to the treasury for encashment, or any money is remitted to the treasury for credit to the provincial revenues or to the post office for transmission by postal money orders, an adequate escort, according to the accepted scale, shall be deputed.

710. Escorts to and from subdivisions. – (a) Escort to and from subdivisions shall, where necessary, be supplied. Sub-divisional Magistrates and Munsifs requiring emergency escorts shall write or telegraph to the Superintendent and never, except in cases of immediate necessity, apply to the Sub-divisional Police Officer or the Circle Inspector, as the case may be, to supply them by withdrawal of force from the police-stations. In such cases of immediate necessity the Sub-divisional Magistrate shall give a written order to the Sub-divisional Police Officer or the Circle Inspector, as the case may be, which shall be sent in original to the Superintendent after compliance.
(b) Sub-divisional Police Officers or Circle Inspectors shall issue orders to officers-in-charge of police-stations in their jurisdictions to send to the Court officer all articles they wish conveyed to the district headquarters at least one clear day before that fixed for the escort leaving the headquarters of the subdivision, or its return journey to the district headquarters.

(c) On every occasion when Sub-divisional treasury guards are relieved the relieved and relieving guards shall be utilised for the escort of prisoners or treasure as far as possible. In all cases intimation shall be given to – (i) the Deputy Collector in charge of the treasury; (ii) the Superintendents of the Jails at the district and Sub-divisional headquarters; and (iii) the Sub-divisional Magistrate of the subdivision concerned, of the date fixed for the relief of the guard 48 hours in advance.

711. District remittances and remittances from Munsifs’ Courts. – (a) District remittances, i.e., remittances from one place to another in the same district, shall’ ordinarily be made twice in each month only, on such dates as may be fixed.
(b) Where Munsifs’ Courts exist, the Judge shall fix the dates in each month on which the money shall be made over to the police for transmission to treasury.

(c) On the day appointed, an escort shall proceed to the Munsifs Court. The money shall be counted in the presence of the escort commander and placed in a bag, which shall then and there be sealed and made over to the guard, who shall forthwith proceed with it to the treasury or Sub-divisional treasury. The escort commander shall be furnished with a memorandum of the amount.

(d) The escort commander shall cause the bag and seal to be inspected in his presence by the Treasury officer to whom it is addressed and, while held responsible for the total amount in the bag, he shall not be called on to replace any light or spurious coin that it may contain, provided the bag and the seal show no signs of being tampered with.

(e) The rules apply only to small remittances made by Munsifs in bags. Larger remittances shall be sent more securely packed. If a remittance be in copper coin, and exceeds 6¼ seers in weight or Rs. 500 in value, coolie labour shall be employed to be paid for by the Munsif. Should any necessity arise for a second remittance during the month the same course shall be pursued.

712. Escorts for arms and ammunition. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) Superintendent indenting for arms or ammunition shall provide an armed escort to take delivery at the Arsenal on being notified by the military authorities of the date on which their requirements will be ready for issue. In the case of consignments of arms and ammunition at the Fort William Arsenal intended for districts outside Bengal, the Superintendent, 24-Parganas, shall, on being informed by the military authorities, furnish the necessary escorts. He shall at the same time give timely notice to the Superintendents of the relieving districts concerned of the date, train and strength of escorts. In the case of consignments at the Allahabad Arsenal the Superintendent of Police, Allahabad, will be responsible for taking them over and for supplying an escort. He will at the same time give timely notice to the Superintendents of the relieving districts concerned of the date, train and strength of escort.
(b) The normal escort will consist of 1 head constable and 6 constables but shall never be less than 1 head constable and 3 constables. The escort commander should be given written authority to take delivery of the arms or ammunition and should be instructed that if circumstances necessitate it there should be no hesitation in using his escorts’ weapons to protect his charge and to ensure the safety of the consignment from capture.

(c) Similar arrangements should be made mutatis mutandis in taking delivery of revolvers or revolver ammunition from private firms. Superintendents shall in such cases use their own discretion regarding the strength of the escort required to ensure safe delivery.

713. Liquor escorts. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) The police shall escort liquor in bond on transit to depots.
(b) The Superintendent shall use his discretion as to whether these escorts shall be armed with lathis or muskets, and their strength shall ordinarily be fixed according to the scale given below-

(i) By land. – One man for every two carts.

(ii) By water – One man for every boat.

(c) Ordinarily, a head constable need not be supplied, but a senior constable shall be in charge, and shall give a receipt for the number of casks, crates, cases or vessels which may be made over to him.

(d) Consignments should be so timed as to fall in with existing escort arrangements, so that indents on the police for special escorts may be avoided as far as possible.

714. Special guards for prisoners. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) When a notorious criminal or a notable State prisoner forms one of the party, the guard shall be special and regulated in accordance with the importance of the prisoner or prisoners being escorted.
(b) European prisoners and lunatics, shall when practicable, be escorted by a European police officer.

In such cases European police officers should purchase when travelling by railway or steamer tickets up to the place to which they are ordered to proceed. Necessary debits for the charges incurred by the Superintendents of other provinces for escorting the prisoner to his destination should be passed on to the Accountant-General, Bengal, for adjustment through their respective Accounts officers.
(c) When British soldiers are convicted by the civil power at stations where no European police are available, application shall invariably be made to the local military authorities for a military escort to accompany them to the jail.

715. Use of handcuffs and leg-irons fox convicts under escort. [§12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) Convicted prisoners are divided into classes A, B and C. Classes A and B ordinarily include certain categories of non-habitual prisoners of good character, social status, education, etc., but habitual, prisoners may also, be included in class B by the classifying authority on grounds of character and antecedents. Class C consists of prisoners who are not classified in classes A and B. Convicts in class C shall be handcuffed and if necessary roped during transit and transportation convicts shall in addition be furnished with leg-irons. Convicts who have been placed in Classes A and B shall not be handcuffed or roped unless there is a reasonable expectation that such convicts will use violence or attempt to escape or that an attempt will be made to rescue them. In case of doubt the Superintendent or the officer-in-charge in his absence shall consult the District Magistrate or the officer-in-charge in the absence of the District Magistrate. When prisoners under escort are handcuffed, they shall always be handcuffed in pairs, the left wrist of the one being handcuffed to the right wrist of the other. When the number under escort consists of an odd number, 3, 5, 7, 9, etc., the odd man shall be handcuffed to two other prisoners. In case of dangerous or refractory characters, special measures shall be taken with a view to their safe custody under the order of the Superintendent, While halting, such precautions only shall be taken as are absolutely necessary for security. If leg-irons are used, leather gaiters must be provided by the jailor for each prisoner, to prevent abrasion of the skin. Convict warders and convict overseers need not be handcuffed when under escort from one jail to another.
(b) The escort commander shall be supplied with two pairs of removable leg-shackles, if such are available, to be temporarily substituted for handcuffs when convicts are easing themselves on the journeys.

(c) Keys of handcuffs shall be kept by the escort commander.

716. Iron cages for prisoners in railway carriages. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) Iron cages are provided for the windows of third class railway carriages which are required for the transport of prisoners and lunatics. When the cost will not be increased by the use of cages, they shall be requisitioned by the authority indenting for the escort. Such requisitions shall be made in writing to the station-master 36 hours before they are required.
(b) Iron cages are not required for parties not exceeding three in number, women, children, aged, feeble persons, sick or crippled prisoners, who have been convicted of minor offences and are not desperate characters, or harmless lunatics.

717. Papers of convict to be given to escort commander by jail authorities. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) The escort commander shall receive the following papers from the jail authorities :-
(i) the original warrants of all the convicts confided to his care;

(ii) copies of the order of any Court requiring the attendance of the prisoners;

(iii) the prisoners’ history tickets;

(iv) the P.R. slips, if any;

(v) the medical officers’ certificate;

(vi) lists in English and Bengali, or Hindi containing the names of all the convicts (if any of them are of dangerous character, the fact shall be noted in the lists); and

(vii) lists of articles of clothing, cooking, utensils, etc.

(b) These shall be furnished to him at the time of despatch for due delivery at the jail of destination, and he shall be responsible for them.

(c) All the papers received by the escort commander at the jail of despatch shall be shown by him to the officer-in-charge of each of the jails at which he has been ordered to bait en route.

718. Papers of convicts to be shown to the Magistrate of halting places. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – The descriptive rolls, warrants, and all other papers of convicts to be escorted shall be shown to the Magistrate of the several halting places. In the case of convicts sentenced to transportation, in addition to the original warrant, a statement of previous character to be prepared by the Magistrate, and a descriptive roll in Bengali and English shall be made over to the officer-in-charge of the guard, and by him delivered to the Superintendent of the Jail, to which the convict may be transferred, who shall give a receipt for these papers.

719. Diet of prisoners in transit from one jail to another. – All convicts in transit from one jail to another shall ordinarily be provided by the Superintendent of the Jail with cooked food. When the journey is likely to extend for more than one day an allowance in cash shall be given by the Superintendent of the Jail to the escort commander to enable him to purchase food according to the prescribed scale, (See rule 864 of the Bengal Jail Code.) In the case of under-trial prisoners who refuse to carry the food for the journey or are unfit to carry the load, an allowance in cash shall be given to the escort commander. Convicted prisoners who refuse to carry their food shall likewise be given an allowance in cash (see rule 865 of the Bengal Jail Code).
During road journeys prisoners shall not be allowed to drink from pools by the way.
Note. – For instructions regarding the accommodation of prisoners when travelling in custody, see rules 1053 and 1062 of the Bengal Jail Code.

720. Prisoner or convict under escort not to possess prohibited articles. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – No prisoner or convict may have in his possession any of the following articles which the prohibited within the meaning of section 42 of the Prisons Act, 1894 (IX of 1894) :-
(i) alcohol or spirituous liquors of any kind;

(ii) materials for smoking, chewing or taking snuff, such as tobacco, pipes, chillums, etc.;

(iii) ganja, opium or any other drug or poisonous article;

(iv) poisonous materials, materials for making fire, or materials which would cause disfiguration;

(v) bullion, metal, money, currency notes, valuable securities, jewellery or ornaments of any kind and articles of value of every description;

(vi) books, printed matter, letters or writing materials of any kind not authorized by the Superintendent;

(vii) knives, arms, ropes, string, bamboos, ladders, sticks, any article likely to facilitate escape or implements of any kind, except those issued for use in the performance of work, and these excepted only during work hours and at such places as they are required for jail work; or

(viii) any article which has not been issued for the use of prisoners from jail stores and supplies.

(See rule 660 of the Bengal Jail Code.)
721. Carriage of clothing and bedding of prisoners. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – When the clothing and bedding of prisoners are returned to the jail from which they were received, in charge of the returning escort, a coolie shall be employed by the returning escort to carry them, and under no circumstances shall the escort be asked to carry them. The cost of conveyance shall be paid by the jail which returns the clothing. In cases where escorts are returning with prisoners, the latter shall, if the load fee not excessive, carry the clothing and bedding, and a coolie need not be engaged.
Note. – The load which a prisoner is to carry shall not exceed 12 to 13 seers.

722. Escort of prisoners required to give evidence in Civil and Criminal Courts. – The following rules have been made by the Provincial Government under sections 42 and 51 of the Prisoners Act (III of 1900) vide Calcutta Gazette, dated the 17th October, 1900 :-
(i) On receipt of an order issued by a Court of competent authority under Part IX of Act III of 1900, the officer-in-charge of the jail shall make a requisition on the Superintendent of Police for an escort, and the Superintendent, shall supply such escort in conformity with the ordinary rules of his department.

(ii) The officer-in-charge of such escort shall, in like maimer, be guided by the rules of the Police Department in the performance of his duty and in the treatment of the prisoners under his charge.

(iii) All prisoners shall be taken to the Court before which their appearance is required by the most expeditious route. Prisoners under sentence for criminal offences shall ordinarily travel on foot; but civil prisoners who are desirous of obtaining and are willing to pay for, the indulgence may be provided with suitable means of conveyance. When a railway is available, all prisoners shall be conveyed by rail under charge of the police guard.

(iv) The officer-in-charge of the jail shall make over to the officer-in-charge of the guard copies of the orders of the Court under which the prisoners are removed, together with a sum of money for their maintenance and road expenses.

(v) The officer-in-charge of the guard shall give to the officer-in-charge of the jails a receipt for such prisoners as he may receive, with a statement of the clothing, etc., in each prisoner’s possession, and a receipt for the amount of diet money or road expenses which has been advanced on their account. Advances required on account of the escort shall be made by the Superintendent of Police supplying it.

(vi) Should there be a jail or lock-up at the place where the Court before which the prisoners have to appear is held, the officer-in-charge of the escort shall deliver the prisoners to the keeper of such jail or lock-up, and shall not be responsible for their custody while they are in such Jail or lock-up, but shall only be responsible for their custody while escorting them thereto and from such jail or lock-up to the place where the Court is held.

(vii) On the completion of the duty for which the escort was detailed, the Superintendent of Police supplying it shall, if the presence of the prisoner was required in any civil matter, submit a bill to the Court from which the requisition proceeded for the cost of the guard as fixed by the scale in Appendix XL and for the actual expenditure incurred by them on account of carriage by land or water if the journey is not performed entirely on foot, plus 10 per cent., for contingencies. A separate bill shall also be forwarded by the Superintendent of Police for the diet and travelling expenses of the prisoner or prisoners. To enable him to do so. the officer-in-charge of the jail from which the prisoner was transferred shall furnish him with an account of the expenses incurred.

(viii) All sums received in payment of these bills shall at once be paid into the treason of the district from which the escort started, for credit to the provincial revenues as a receipt, either to the Police or Jail Department, according as the amount is paid on account of the escort or the prisoners.

723. Escort of military prisoners or insanes and soldiers. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) When military pioneers or military insanes are made over to civil authorities for escort, they shall be accommodated on railway journeys as follows :-
(i) British officers in reserved 1st class compartments.

(ii) British other ranks and Indian officers in reserved 2nd class compartments.

(iii) Indian other ranks in 3rd class compartments.

(b) When soldiers, either British or Indian, are sent under military escort from one station to other to stand trial on a criminal charge, they will travel like any other party of soldiers on duty, under a warrant furnished by the military authorities, the charge being met from the1 military estimates. Where a soldier is conducted by a police escort, the charge will be civil; the warrant issued in such cases should include the accused as he is a soldier proceeding to a certain place under the orders of his military superior, and is therefore, on duty.

(c) An individual soldier, summoned by the civil authorities to appear in a criminal case, either as a witness or as an accused, but not under custody, should be given a warrant to enable him to perform the journey, the cost being debited to the military estimates.

724. Escort of lunatics. – The following are the rules for the protection of lunatics in transit to an asylum:-
(i) The Civil Surgeon, before despatching a lunatic to the asylum for which he is destined, shall furnish a certificate of the actual condition of the patient’s health at the time of despatch; and a copy of this certificate shall be given to the escort for exhibition to the police authorities on the road, and to the authorities of the asylum on arrival.

(ii) The Superintendent of Police shall give the escort their route, which shall in all cases be the most direct or otherwise the best route, and the escort shall be directed to call at all the police-stations, lying on the line of their route. The officer-in-charge of the first police-station visited (or should the guard pass a district or Sub-divisional headquarters station en route, the superior officer at such station) shall, after inspecting the certificate prescribed in sub-clause (i), enter upon it the date of the lunatic’s arrival and the apparent condition of his health, noticing especially any marks of violence, should there be any. The entry shall be copied in the general diary. Should the officer notice any marks of violence, he shall carefully ascertain how the violence was inflicted, collecting all the available evidence, and reporting the matter to headquarters, detaining the escort meanwhile, but forwarding the lunatic, if he is able to proceed. The officer-in-charge of every succeeding station shall act precisely in the same way, with the addition that it shall be his duty to inspect, besides the certificate, any entry or entries made upon it under this regulation.

(iii) On the arrival of the lunatic at the asylum, the certificate with all the entries upon it shall be carefully examined and compared with the condition of the lunatic, and an entry of his condition at the time of arrival added to the previous entries on the paper.

(iv) The escort shall not be dismissed except as hereafter provided, until the Superintendent of the asylum has himself seen the lunatic and compared his condition with the certificate, which shall then with the Superintendent’s entry on it, be sent direct by post to the Magistrate from whose district the lunatic was despatched. In the case shall be escort be detained for more than 24 hours. Should the Superintendent be temporarily absent from the asylum, the certificate of the overseer or Sub-Assistant Surgeon or doctor in charge shall be given.

(v) In addition to the usual police escort, a female attendant shall accompany any female lunatic who is transferred from a prison to an asylum or from an asylum to a prison, or who is forwarded for release to the custody of her relative or friends. A female attendant shall also accompany any female lunatic who is sent up for trial as recovered. The female attendant shall in all cases be arranged for by the authority that requisitions for a police escort.

725. No relief for escorts for journey within Bengal and strengthening of escorts. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) When the journey is to be made entirely within the province of Bengal, the escort shall not be relieved en route. It may, however, be necessary to strengthen the escort at transhipment stations or where a portion of the journey has to be made by road on the termination of a railway or steamer journey. In such cases the extra force shall be supplied by the Superintendent of the district in whose jurisdiction the transhipment station or terminus of the railway or steamer journey lies.
(b) Superintendents who require treasure escorts to be strengthened while crossing Calcutta, or while proceeding to any destination from railway stations in Calcutta or vice versa should request the Commissioner of Police, Calcutta, to strengthen their escort or guard.

The amount and nature of the treasure (i.e., gold, silver, notes, etc.) and the number of the prisoners as well as the probable time during which the escort will be required should, be stated.

726. Relief of escorts to or from other Provinces. [§ 12, Act V, 1861.] – (a) Escorts of prisoners or treasure by railway to or from other provinces shall be relieved in accordance with the instructions laid down in Appendix XLI.
(b) Seventy-two hours’ notice shall be given to the relieving station by the officer despatching the escort and when sending requisitions for the relief of escorts to any Superintendent in other provinces, Bengal officer shall communicate to the Superintendents concerned the number and class of prisoners and the value and the nature of treasure under escort and the strength of the escort to be relieved. A similar procedure should be followed by the police of other provinces in sending requisitions to Bengal districts. In the case of escorts proceeding to Hazaribagh, Superintendents should give at least one weeks’ notice to the Superintendent of Police, Hazaribagh, to enable him to relieve the escort. When the escort has actually started, a telegram shall be sent at once to the Superintendent who has to relieve or strengthen the escort. If the escort in question is proceeding first by road and then by railway an additional escort or relief is required on the line of journey, the telegram referred to above shall be made over to the escort commander to despatch as soon as he arrives at the starting railway station. The telegram in both cases shall specify the railway station from which, and the time of the train by which, the escort is proceeding.

A warning should be issued by the despatching officer to the Superintendent of the district in which the relieving station is situated if the prisoners are of a dangerous character. Reliefs for inter-provincial escorts must always be provided and compliance with requisitions for relief must be strictly exacted.

727. Guard of honour. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) Ordinarily the Police shall not provide a Guard of Honour during the arrival and departure of any of the dignitaries on any of the occasions mentioned below when it is clearly known that troops are at hand and a Service Guard of Honour will be provided :-
(i) President, when notified as public and official;

(ii) Vice-President, when notified as public and official;

(iii) Prime Minister, on occasion notified as special or at on out of way place when so desired;

(iv) Governors, on the occasion of their taking over or relinquishing their appointment or on other occasions notified as special;

(v) Rulers of integrated States, on the occasions of their succession to Gaddi, marriage and funeral.

When the Defence services are not available, Police will provide Guard of Honour when specifically instructed by the Ministry of External Affairs or by the State Government.
(b) The full strength of a Police Guard of Honour for the dignitary specified in (i) of clause (a) above should be 3 Sub-Inspectors, 6 head constables, 6 naiks, 135 constables and for the dignitaries specified in (ii) and (iii) of clause (a) above 2 Sub-Inspectors, 4 head constables, 4 naiks, 90 constables. The Guard should invariably be under the command of an officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police. The strength of Guard of Honour for (iv) and (v) above will be 1 Sub-Inspector, 2 head constables, 2 naiks and 45 constables under the command of an officer not below the rank of Inspector.

(c) Subject to paragraph (a) on the occasion of the official visits of the President and the Vice-President of India or the public arrival of the Prime Minister of India or the Governor of a State at district headquarters, the Guard of Honour should be furnished from the Emergency Force of the district headquarters.

(d) The Police will present Guard of Honour to the following foreign dignitaries at the district headquarters only when such guards are specifically requisitioned by the Government of India in the Ministry of External Affairs. The venue of Guard of Honour should be at the district headquarters, the airport or the railway station as the case may be but there should be only one Guard of Honour and not two on each occasion :-

(i) Visiting Heads of States;

(ii) Governor-Generals of Commonwealth countries;

(iii) Visiting Prime Ministers of foreign and Commonwealth countries;

(iv) Heads of foreign and Commonwealth Missions of the rank of Ministers, High Commissioners, Minister Plenipotentiary accredited to India;

(v) Visiting Foreign Minister of foreign and Commonwealth countries.

The strength of guard for (i) and (ii) above should consist of 3 Sub-Inspectors, 6 head constables, 6 naiks and 135 constables and for (iii) and (iv) 2 Sub-Inspectors, 4 head constables, 4 naiks, 90 constables. The guard should be furnished under the command of an officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police. The guard for (v) above should consist of 1 Sub-Inspector, 2 head constables, 2 naiks and 45 constables under the command of an officer not below the rank of Inspector.
(e) In other cases, not covered by clauses (a) to (d) above, the guard should consist of 1 Sub-Inspector, 2 head constables, 2 naiks and 45 constables, under the command of an officer not below the rank of Inspector.

(f) The Guard of Honour will Present Arms when the personage to be honoured has arrived within 20 paces.

728. Salutes and compliments. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – The following are the orders on the subject of salutes, and of guards and sentries paying compliments:-

(i) Non-gazetted officers shall invariably salute Government officers, both civil and military, whom they can recognise. They shall also salute superior police officers of their own and of other districts when in uniform.

(ii) Guards will not turn out after “retreat” or before “reveille” except at tattoo on the approach of an armed party, in cases of an alarm, or to receive grand or visiting rounds, nor will they during this period pay any compliments, except to grand rounds to whom they will present arms.

(iii) Sentries mounted over the residence or temporary quarters of His Excellency the Governor, the Hon’ble Ministers or the Inspector-General shall present arms to those officers alone. When officers of lower rank pass their posts they shall stand to attention, slope arms and salute.

(iv) Except as provided in clause (ii) and (iii) guards shall turn out and present arms, sound the general salute when there is a bugler attached to the guard, and sentries shall present arms as often as His Excellency the Governor, the Hon’ble Ministers, the Inspector-General, or a General Officer of the Army may pass their post.

(v) Except as provided in clauses (ii) and (iii), guards shall turn out and present arms once during the day, and sentries shall present arms on all occasions when any Secretary to Government, the Commissioner, Deputy Inspector-General, District Judge, District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police, Civil Surgeon, Commandant, Eastern Frontier Rifles, or the Military Officer Commanding the station passes. In the case of other Government officers, civil and military, the men not under arms shall stand to attention, and sentries shall slope arms and salute.

(vi) Guards shall fall in and slope arms when an Assistant or Deputy Superintendent passes their post and sentries shall slope arms and salute.

(vii) When an Inspector, Sergeant or Sub-Inspector passes him, a sentry shall come to attention.

(viii) When the officer entitled to a salute passes in rear of a guard, the officer in command shall cause his men to fall in and slope arms facing their proper front. No bugle is to be sounded.

(ix) If such officer passes when one guard is in the course of relieving another, both guards shall salute, receiving the command from the senior officer present with them.

(x) Guards shall fall in and stand at the slope at all times when armed parties (including the Auxiliary and Territorial Forces) approach their posts.

(xi) When an officer entitled to the compliment of “present arms” once during the day, passes a guard a second time on the same day, the men shall fall in and slope arms. The sentry shall present arms.

(xii) Sentries shall present arms and guards will stand at attention whenever a funeral party, civil or military, passes their posts.

(xiii) When an officer of the Army or of the Auxiliary or Territorial Forces in uniform passes a guard, the men shall stand at attention without falling in. Armed sentries shall stand at attention, slope arms and salute.

(xiv) Police officers of air ranks when in uniform shall salute officers of the Army, Navy or Air Force in uniform in accordance with the usual practices between relative ranks.

(xv) Officers on beat duty shall salute all Government officers as well as all their superior officers. When lining the streets on State occasions or for a public arrival, etc., no one shall salute, but each man shall come to attention.

(xvi) When a lathi is carried, the salute shall be given by bringing it to the slope and bringing the right hand across as with muskets.

(xvii) Non-gazetted officers on horseback shall salute superior officers, by placing the right hand on the bridle hand and then dropping it smartly to its full extent outside the right thigh.

(xviii) Non-gazetted officers on bicycles shall salute by turning their heads smartly in the direction of the officer saluted.

(xix) Salutes by police officers shall be returned by the senior officer present.

(xx) All police officers in uniform, other than those engaged on traffic duty, shall salute uncased colours when passing them. Officers on traffic duty are not required to pay compliments of any kind, but they shall stand to attention when troops are marching past them.

(xxi) A police officer in uniform on entering a Court shall salute the presiding officer with his head-dress on in the approved manner. He will remove his head-dress (provided it is a head-dress other than a pagri) while giving evidence and replace it before saluting the Court on retiring.

(ii) All police officers should bear in mind that where there is any doubt as to the rank or position of persons or officials they may meet, or who may pass them no harm can be done by saluting, whereas neglect to do so may be mistaken for discourtesy or personal slight and may engender ill-feeling.

729. Protection of His Excellency the Viceroy and His Excellency the Governor. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) The rules for the protection of His Excellency the Viceroy and His Excellency the Governor are laid down in the pamphlet which has been supplied to every Superintendent who shall carefully study and observe them.
Note. – (i) When at Dacca, the Superintendent, Assistant or Deputy Superintendent need not escort the Governor when he leaves the precincts of Government House, unless specially required to do so.

(ii) When on escort duty mounted a police officer shall ride with his sword undrawn but with a loaded revolver in the off wallet of the saddle.

730. Public and private arrivals of His Excellency the Viceroy and His Excellency the Governor. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) Public arrivals. – Before public arrivals of His Excellency the Viceroy or His Excellency the Governor, it is the duty of the Superintendent to visit the railway station or landing-stage, and he shall, in consultation with the District Magistrate, lay down what barriers (post and ½ inch ropes covered with red salu), should, if necessary, be erected for gentlemen attending the arrival. Such barriers shall be so arranged as to enable every one entitled to such an honour to be introduced, if possible, to His Excellency without discomfort. Barriers can generally be procured on requisition from the railway or steamer companies. Should tickets for arrivals or public functions be issued, responsible officers shall he appointed to scrutinise them. Gentlemen invited should be requested not to bring their personal body servants, etc., on to the platform or landing-stage.
(b) No spectator shall be allowed to leave the platform till the State carriages have moved off.

(c) The routes for carriages approaching, waiting or driving away shall be clearly laid down under section 31 of the Police Act and published or circulated, and Sub-Inspectors, Assistant Sub-Inspectors, and head constables told off for these functions should be practised in performing them.

(d) When streets are lined by the police for public functions or State occasions, all officers should be warned that their duty is to watch the crowd, traffic and houses and not the procession. When the procession of carriges, etc., is a very long one, the Superintendent should consider the advisability of posting every second constable on either side of the road, with his face towards the spectators on the footpaths.

(e) Private arrivals. – Similar arrangements, on a scale modified to suit the circumstances of each case, shall be made for the private arrival and departure of His Excellency the Viceroy and His Excellency the Governor.

731. Tours of the Hon’ble Minister and public and private arrivals. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – (a) Public arrivals. – During the tours of inspection of an Hon’ble Minister the Superintendent is expected to meet him on his arrival at and departure from district headquarters unless he has previously arranged through the District Magistrate with the Hon’ble Minister concerned for his exemption from such attendance. It. is not intended, however, that the Superintendent should break into one of his own tours in order to be present and in such an event the next senior police officer at headquarters will meet the Hon’ble Minister. The Superintendent should write apprising the Hon’ble Minister of the reasons for his absence. Similarly, when the station visited is the headquarters of a Range Deputy Inspector-General, that officer is also expected to be present. It is not necessary for the Deputy Inspector-General to be present at other stations unless specially asked to do so.
(b) Private arrivals. – (i) It is not possible to lay down hard and fast instructions but it should be remembered that the Hon’ble Ministers are entitled to receive the courtesy due to them even when their arrivals and departures are private. Ordinarily on such occasions the Deputy Inspector-General at Range headquarters and the Superintendent at district headquarters should make a point of meeting the Hon’ble Minister. The guiding consideration should be whether the officer’s absence would be remarked upon as indicating lack of respect or attention to the Hon’ble Minister.

When circumstances render it inconvenient or inappropriate for the Superintendent or the Deputy Inspector-General to be present the reasons for then absence should be explained to the Hon’ble Minister and the next senior police officer at headquarters should be deputed to meet him.
(ii) When an Hon’ble Minister visits a place other than the district headquarters, the Sub-divisional Police Officer or the Circle Inspector or in his absence, the next senior police officer should meet him. The Superintendent will not be required to attend unless the circumstances of the case make his presence desirable.

(c) Tours of inspection. – Unless an Hon’ble Minister is engaged on a tour of inspection it is not necessary for the local officers to accompany him on tour. When any tour is undertaken on departmental business, a police officer should accompany the Hon’ble Minister if the latter so desires.

(d) Attendance at meetings and social functions. – Local officers are not expected to attend meetings addressed or attended by an Hon’ble Minister which are of a purely political character. There is, however, no objection to their attendance at professedly social functions organized for the entertainment of the Hon’ble Ministers.

732. Ceremonial parades. [§ 12, Act V, 1861]. – The following orders are prescribed for special ceremonial parades :-
(i) In stations where there are regular, troops, the police can only join in a ceremonial parade at the invitation of the former. Such an invitation should always be complied with.

(ii) At stations forming the headquarters of a battalion of the Eastern Frontier Rifles the parade will be held by the Commandant, and it will be for him to notify the Superintendent when a parade is to be held and ask him to co-operate. The Superintendent shall co-operate, provided he has a force of not less than 50 men of the District Armed Police available. The Eastern Frontier Rifles will take the right of the line subject to the provisions of clause (x), the Commandant will command the parade.

(iii) At stations not being the headquarters of a battalion of the Eastern Frontier Rifles, where there is a detachment of 50 or more rifles of the battalion under an Assistant Commandant and where there are also men of the District Armed Police the parade will be held by the Assistant Commandant, who will notify the Superintendent that the parade will be held. The latter will co-operate if the available number of the District Armed Police is 50 or more.

The Eastern Frontier Rifles will take the right of the line. The parade in such cases will be commanded by the senior police officer present, seniority being reckoned by the Warrant of Precedence for India, or, in cases in which this does not apply, from the date of commission in the Army in the case of officers of the Eastern Frontier Rifles, and the date of first appointment to Assistant Superintendent’s rank in the case of police officers.
(iv) In district headquarters at which the number neither of the Eastern Frontier Rifles nor of the District Armed Police amounts to 50 men, no feu-de-joie will be fired, but provided a force of not less than 50 rifles of both services together is available, such force should be paraded, present arms and march past. For less than 50 men no parade will be held.

(v) At stations where there is no battalion or detachment of the Eastern Frontier Rifles, but where not less than 100 of the District Armed Police are available, ceremonial parades will be held under the command of the Superintendent and a feu-de-joie will be fired, but where the available force amounts to less than 100 men, it will only be paraded, present arms and march past. For numbers of less than 50 men no ceremonial parades will be held.

(vi) Ceremonial parades will be held on –

(1) the anniversary of His Majesty the King Emperor’s birthday;

(2) the celebration of the assumption of the title of “Empress of India” by Her late Majesty Queen Victoria; and

(3) such other special occasions as may be ordered.

(vii) The procedure on parade will be as laid in the Manual of Drill for the Bengal Police except when regular troops or the Eastern Frontier Rifles are also on parade, in which case the District Armed Police will conform as far as practicable with the existing Army Ceremonial Drill. Whenever a parade is held, the Superintendent shall inform the Commissioner, District Magistrate, District Judge and other gazetted officers in the station as well as the leading gentlemen of the town and neighbourhood several days beforehand of the time and place of the parade and invite them to be present.

(viii) Should the Deputy Inspector-General of the Range or of the Criminal Investigation Department be present at any station at which a parade is held he should attend in uniform. He should take the salute and there be a march past (the Deputy Inspector-General for the Range taking precedence of the Deputy Inspector-General of the Criminal Investigation Department), but he will not command the parade. Should the Divisional Commissioner be present in the station, he should be invited by the Deputy Inspector-General to take the salute. In the absence of the Commissioner from the station the District Magistrate or in his absence the Additional District Magistrate should be invited to take the salute. In all other circumstances the Deputy Inspector-General or in his absence the Superintendent shall take the salute.

(ix) All gazetted police officers who may be present in the station though not actually taking part in the parade shall attend in uniform.

(x) If members of the Auxiliary Force desire to take part in a parade held under clauses (ii) to (v) they must be treated as regular troops while on parade and take the right of the line. The precedence, etc., of the officers is regulated by the rules, customs and instructions applying to the regular Army and Auxiliary Forces. At ceremonial parades at which the military and police are present, the question as to whether and when a civilian (Commissioner, District Magistrate) should be invited to take the salute is one for the good sense and discretion of the senior military officer. In coming to a decision he will no doubt consider the relative precedence of the invitee and that the troops would themselves prefer to pay a compliment to one who is known to them even if not personally.

(xi) A note of the members of all ranks attending any ceremonial parade will be made in the morning report of the date on which such parade is held, and will also be entered in the monthly force return for the information of the Inspector-General.

Name	Rank	Telephone Nos. with STD Code
	DG & IGP, Armed Police	033-2448-1122 033-2448-1123
Ranvir Kumar, IPS	ADG & IGP, Armed Police	033-2448-8288
	IGP, AP, North Bengal	0353-2577445
Smt. Chelling Simick Lepcha, IPS	IGP, AP, Kolkata	033-2545-3579
	DIG, AP, North Bengal, Siliguri	0353-2568740
Dipankar Bhattacharyya, IPS	DIG (AP), Durgapur	0343-2543619
Debabrata Das, IPS	DIG, AP, Barrackpore, WB	033-2592-0630
	CO, SAP 4th Bn, Raiganj	03523-223015
Sheesh Ram Jhajharia, IPS	CO, SAP 3rd Bn. Barrackpore	033-2592-0270
	CO, SAP 13th Bn, Barjora, Bankura	03241-201089
	CO, SAP 6th Bn. Barrackpore	033-2594-0131
Rashid Munir Khan, IPS	CO, SAP 2nd Bn. Barrackpore	033-2594-0095
Kankar Prosad Barui, IPS	CO, SAP 9th Bn, Sandhya, Krishnanagar	03472-227060
Smt. Anjali Singh, IPS	CO, SAP 12th Bn.	0353-2568398
	CO, SAP 10 Bn, Dabgram	0353-2568055 2568679(F)
Awadhesh Pathak, IPS	CO, SAP 8th Bn. Barrackpore	033-2545-3636
Debasish Dhar, IPS	CO, SAP 1st Bn.	033-2594-6969
Ajeet Singh Yadav, IPS	CO, SAP 7th Bn.	0341-2250668
Joy Tudu, IPS	CO, SAP 11th Bn, Charra, Purulia	03252-201167

Name	Rank	Telephone Nos. with STD Code
Debashis Bej, IPS	DIG, AP, EFR Bns.	03222-296517
Rishikesh Meena, IPS	CO, EFR 1 st Bns.	03222-296667
Ajay Kumar Thakur, IPS	CO, EFR 3 rd Bns.	03222-296516
Prasanta Kumar Choudhury, IPS	CO, EFR 2 nd Bns.	03222-296668