POLICE REGULATIONS, BENGAL. PART 5

VI—EMPLOYEMENT OF ARMED PARTIES AND USE OF FIRFARMS BY THE POLICE DURING RIOTS AND DISTURBANCES.

  1. (a) If an Officer-in-charge of a police-station learns that a serious riot or other disturbance

has broken out or is about to break out or that any crime is being or is about to be committed by an armed gang or that any persons against whom he is about to proceed will be armed with deadly weapons,       he may arm some of his constables    with the

muskets issued to the police-station. He shall himself take command of such constables and proceed with them and with such other force as may be necessary to the place of the disturbance or crime. He may however, for special reasons, which he shall record in the general diary, devolve such command upon a junior Sub-Inspector, an Assistant Sub-Inspector or a Head constable on whom he thinks it safe to rely: he shall give such officer upon whom he devolves the command as clear and specific orders as circumstances pen~fit as to the duties to be performed by the armed constables. In the event of there being no officer-in-charge at a police- station, if reliable information is received by the senior constable of apprehension or existence of a serious disturbance. such constable shall proceed to the place himself with such force as can be spared, armed with muskets and ball ammunition. He must bear in mind that if he meets with resistance he can act in the exercise of the right of private defence, though he has not the power to disperse an unlawful assemble by force.

  • The police Officer who leads or sends out armed constables under clause (a) above should, whenever possible, inform the nearest Magistrate and give him an opportunity of accompanying the party. ‘f he departure or despatch of an armed force roust, however, on no account he held up to the possible determoraaon of the situation, solely with a view to obtaining the acccnnpanyiug presence of a Magistrate.
  1. (a) The Special Armed Force may be employed to restore order during riots and disturbances by order of the Superintendent, who should consult the District Magistrate, if there is time to do so. The Superintendent should himself be in charge of the party whenever possible, but if he should he temporarily engaged clsewhere or the out- break be so serious as to require him to be at a central post to co-ordinate the whole sCheifle of meeting arid quelling the disturbaiice, the command of the whole or any part of the Special Anned Force must devolve on such officers as the Superintendent can spare and shall detail for the purpose. if it is necessary to call out the armed police in a subdivision where there is a dewchmenl of the emergency torce similar responsibility roust rest on the ubdivisioual Police Officer or Inspector-in-charge subject to the orders of the Subdivisional Magistrate.
  • When an armed pan) is sent out under clause (a), the District Magistrate or Subdivisional Officer as the case may b’ shall, if time permits, he asked to depute a Magistrate to accompany ml. It time does not allow this the officer ordering out the party shall invite lie the nearest Magistrate available to do so. The departure or despatch of an armed knee must, however, on no account be held up, to the possible deterioration of the situation, solely with a view to obtaining the accompanying presence of a Magistrate.
  • In all cases when armed parties are sent out, they should keep together in compact bodies under competent officers, fully instructed. They should be given a specific task to perform and must be fully instructed as to their powers and responsibilities. The Special Armed Force should never be given the routine duly of marshalling or escorting a procession. The Superintendent, the Sub divisional Police Officer or the Circle Inspector will obtain as clear a picture as possible of the situation the armed forces have to meet and ensure, preferably by personal instruction, that each parity sent out fully comprehends its objective and understands its duties and powers.
  • In cases where no serious opposition is expected part of the force should be armed with bamboo lathis 5 feet 7 inches in length and from 4 to 3 ‘/2 inches in circumference at the two ends. When it is necessary to clear or guard a road, the force so armed should be formed in double rank the first rank holding the lathis at the “engage” position (See Bayonet exercises) and the rear rank holding the lathis in both hands well separated over the heads of the front rank men, so as to guard their heads. it is advisable in all such cases to have a small reserve armed with muskets to meet unforeseen developments. Superintendents should take care to have a sufficent number of lathis ready for such occasions at stations and in the lines.
  1. (a) The unarmed Police are expected to be able, with the lathis prescribed in regulation 146
  • or the canes allowed under regulation 89 (a) to maintain and enforce order among assemblies, processions and large crowds if these are not armed with weapons of offence. There may however be exceptional circumstances in which his desirable to employmen of the Special Armed Force for this purpose otherwise than under regulation 146.
  • The Special Armed Force thus employed may be armed entirely with muskets or lathis or partly with muskets and partly with lathis.
  1. (a) Members of the Eastern Frontier Rifles, being enrolled under the Police Act, 1861, may be required, under section 128 of the Code of Criminal Procedure by a Magistrate or an Officer-in-charge of a police-station or police Officer of higher rank, to disperse an unlawful assembly: and they are bound under section 149 of that Code to interfere for the purpose of preventing the commission of a cognizable offence.
  • If the assistance of a detachment of the Eastern Frontier Rifles is required during any disturbance, a requisition should ordinarily be made to the Inspector-General.
  • If in a case of emergency the assistance of a detachment of the Eastern Frontier Rifles is requisitioned under section 128 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the officer making the requisition shall at once inform the inspector-General who shall at once report to the Provincial Government the action taken.
  1. The Commandant, Assistant Cmmandants, Subadars and Jamadars of the Eastern Frontier Rifles have been given powers of an Officer-in-charge of a police-station for the purpose of dealing with unlawful assemblies or any assembly of five or more persons likely to cause a distrubance of the public peace. These powers shall not be exercised by the Commandant in the presence of a Superintendent or an Additional Superinendent of a district, by the Assistant Commandants in the presence of officers of and above the rank of Subdivisional Police Officer and by the Subadars and Jamadars in the presence of an Inspector of the District Police or the Officer-in-charge of police-station. The powers will be exercised only when it becomes necessary to take action under section 127 and 128 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

if, while the officers of the Eastern Frontier Rifles mentioned above are acting under this regulation it becomes practicable for them to communicate with an officer of the District Police in whose presence they may not exercise their powers they shall do so and shall thence-forward obey the instructions of the District Police Officers concerned as to whether they shall or shall not continue to exercise their powers.

  1. (a) The ammunition served out to any armed party shall be ant ball ammunition. No other sort of ammunition shall be issued tinder any circumstances.
  • Police Officers should not ordinarily take privately owned guns with them when they go the suppress a riot, but if privately owned guns arc Liken the use of any kind of ammunition other than ball is strictly forbidden.

Note.— Ordinary spherical ball only should be used in private weapons—explosive bullers are strictly prohibited.

  1. When a Magistrate is present with an armed party, employed for the suppression of a riot or the dispersal of an unlawful assembly.—
  • he should not interfere with the disposition of the force by the police officer in command;
  • he is responsible for deciding when force is to be used and when fire shall be opened;
  • he shall, when the necessity arises, direct the Officer in command to use force or open fire, but shall not, after giving such direction fetter the discretion of scuh officer in making his disposition for carrying out that border;
  • he shall give the warning prescribed by regulation 153 (c)(ii);
  • he shall have authority to direct the police officer in command to issue the order to cease fire under regulation 155(d); and
  • he shall submit the reports prescribed by regulation 156(c) when firearms have been used.
  1. The following precautions shall be observed by a police Officer in command of an armed party empolyed for the suppression of a riot or the dispersal of an unlawful assembly: —
  • he should so dispose it that it has as effective a field of fire as circumstances permit;
  • he shall not bring it so close to a mob as to risk either its being overwhelmed by a sudden rush or its being forced to inflict heavy casualties;
  • if, in order to minimise injuries from missiles, the party is extended, he shall not allow it to extend so far as to affect his ability to exercise strict fire control;
  • he should order bayonets to be fixed;
  • he shall give orders to the party to load, when he thinks fit. Loading without such orders is strictly forbidden;
  • for the purposes of fire control he shall ordinarily divide his force into sections of not more than ten men each and place each section under a responsible commander;
  • if the party is, or is likely to be, attacked from two directions he shall post the men in two ranks, each facing one of those dirctions, with sufficient space between such ranks to enable him to move between the ranks and to control the tiring; and

(viii) generally he should follow the riot drill instructions as closely as circumstances permit.

  1. (a) The use of firearms is permitted for the following purposes only: –

(1) In exercise of the right of private defence of person or property. (Sections 96—I 06, Indian Penal Code;)

  • For the dispersal of unlawful assemblies. (Sections 127-128. Criminal Procedure Code;)
  • To effect an arrest in certain circumstances. (Section ‘46, Criminal Procedure Code.)
  • Use of firearms iii the exercise of the right of private defence.

-It is essential that all ranks should appreciate and fully understand the right of private defence born of person and property. may are entitled by law to protect themselves and Crown property, e.g., their weapons, ammunition, motor transport, etc., against attack. Such attack may be met by force. This force should not inflict more harm than is necessary for protection but may extent to the causing of death. if then these circumstances are fulfilled a police officer of any rank even that of a constable is entitled to open tire. But not only has every member of the police force the right to defend himself and Crown property he has also the right and in fact it is his duty to protect other persons anti the property of other persons against unlawful acts. Here again, he is entitled to use force to the extent of voluntarily causing death if ha sees a private person being attacked in such a way dint death or grievous hurt is likely to be caused to that person or there is grave apprehension that lie may be kidnapped or wrongfully confined. Similarly, with regard to property he may intervene to the same extent to prevent robbery, house breaking by night, mischief by lire, that is arson, theft, mischief or house trespass in circumstances likely to cause apprehension of death or grievous hurt to any person if the might of private defence is not exercised.

In these circumstances a single constable acting alone may fire in accordance with what has been laid down above. If, however, he is one of a party of police, fire shall not be opened except under the orders of the senior officer present. By “present” it should be clearly understood that this relates to the senior officer in the immediate proximity of the incident. In the event of widespread attacks taking place in one area it may not be possible for the senior most police officer in that area to witness all that is going on and in such circumstances it must be the discretion of the senior police officer in a limited area who may witness an attack on person or properly of the nature described above to give the order to open tire. So long as the police force is in close formation, only the Officer-in-charge of the unit may give the order to lire, but if either under orders or as a result of the action of the opponents the police force is divided into smaller bodies then the senior officer of each small contingent even down to an isolated constable may assume the responsibility of opening tire, independent bring by individuals on their own initiative is forbidden except when it is justified as being in the exercise of the right of private defence. The responsibility of proving that circumstances invoked the right of private defence will rest upon the individual who fires or gives the order to fire, but provided the action is taken in good faith, that individual has no need to be apprehensive of the outcome 01 any enquiry.

  • Use of firearms to disperse an unlawful assembly.—(i) An order to fire upon a crowd should be regarded as an extreme measure to which recourse should be had only in the last resort when it is absolutely necessary for the defence of life or property or when a Magistrate, an officer-in­charge of a police-station or police officer superior in rank to such officer considers it impossible to disperse a mob by any other means.
  • Before an order is given to fire upon a crowd the Magistrate or, it’ no Magistrate is present, the police officer in command shall give lull and sufficient warning to the rioters that they will be fired upon if they do not disperse immediately.
  • All ranks engaged in the suppression of a riot or in the dispersal of a riotous assembly must await the orders of a Magistrate, an officer-in-charge of a police-station or a police officer superior in rank to such officer before firing.
  • Use of firearms to effect arrest. —Under section 46 of the Code of Criminal Procedure when a person forcibly resist arrest or attempts to evade arrest, subject to the important restriction that this section given no right to cause the death of a person who is not accused of an offence punishable with death or with transportation for life, a Police officer may use alt means necessary, including the opening or tire, to effect arrest (Set’ regulation 154 below).
  1. (at Before a police officer fires or gives orders to tire, he shall give such warning of his intention as is possible.

NOTE: In the event of the exercise of the right of private defence it may not always be possible to give warning without the offender being enabled to fulfill his design against which the right is being exercised.

  • Firing should always be controlled and directed at a specified target.
  • No greater hurt than is unavoidable should be inflicted.
  • Firing should cease as soon as its object is achieved.
  1. (a) The police officer in command shall give the order to use force or to fire when so directed by a Magistrate under regulation 151 (iii) or, if no Magistrate is present when he himself considers it to be necessary.
  • He shall direct the tiring in such a way as to secure immediate effect with a minimum of injury. Firing over the heads of the crowd or in any direction except on members of the crowd is strictly forbidden, as being likely both to cause injury to innocent persons at a distance and to embolden the participants in the disturbance by having no visible effect. Before he gives the actual order to fire, he should specify the range, the target and the number of rounds to be fired.
  • He is responsible that no greater volume of fire is used than the circumstances demand. He should normally order firing by specified individuals or by files: but he may order firing by sections, or volleys by not more than hai1f the party at a time, if the attitude of the mob makes this imperative for the protection of his officers or for the protection of the life and property of others.
  • He shall give the order to cease fire as soon as the mob shows the slightest inclination to retire or disperse. The Magistrate, if any is present, has authority to direct him to give such order.
  1. When the Police have used firearms, whether against an unlawful assembly or against a small group or against individuals the following action shall be taken:—
  • the police officer in command shall as soon as possible have the dead, if any, sent td a mortuary and the wounded to hospital;
  • he shall cause the empty cartridge cases to be picked up and checked with the number of rounds issued; and
  • as soon as action has been taken under clause (a), the Magistrate, if one is present, and the police officer in command shall each draw up, first:—
  • a concise but accurate report of the occurrence, and subse-quently;
  • an accurate account in minute detail of all the relevant facts, with a note of the number of rounds issued -and expended;
  • copies of the concise report shall be sent by express telegram and of the detailed account by the quickest possible means other than a telegram:—
  • by the Magistrate, if one is present, to the District Magistrate, Superintendent, Commissioner and Chief Secretary, and
  • by the police officer in command to the District Magistrate. Superintendent, Deputy Inspector-General and Inspector- General.
  1. (a) Whenever the police have used firearms, a full executive enquiry to ascertain whether the firing was justified and whether these regulations were obeyed, shall be held as soon as it can possibly be arranged—
  • by the Commissioner, if a District Magistrate, at~ Additional District Magistrate, a Superintendent, an Additional Superintendent or the Commandant, Eastern Frontier Rifles was concerned in firing;
  • by the District Magistrate or an Additional District Magistrate, if a Sub divisional Magistrate, an Assistant Superintendent or Deputy Superintendent or an Assistant Commandant, Eastern Frontier Rifles, was so concerned; and otherwise,
  • by the District Magistrate, Additional District Magistrate, Sub divisional Magistrate or Magistrate selected by the District Magistrate.
  • If a District Magistrate or a Commissioner so directs or if a Range Deputy inspector-General or the Superintendent of the district concerned so desires a police officer of rank superior to that of the police officer concerned in the occurrence and not below the rank of Inspector shall be associated with the enquiry. Such officer shall have the right to examine witnesses and his opinion on the case shall be submitted together with the Magistrate’s or Commissioners report.
  • The executive enquiry shall be independent of any enquiries made by the police or by a Magistrate under the Code of Criminal Procedure but evidence recorded in such enquiries may be used.
  • The report prescribed in regulation 156 shall be laid before the officer holding the enquiry.
  • The representation of parties by legal practitioners shall not be allowed at the enquiry: but any police officer whose conduct is at issue shall be allowed to examine and cross-examine witnesses and to make statements orally or in writing.
  • On completion of the enquiry, the officer who has held it shall at once send a report to the Provincial Government through the usual channel and make over a copy to the Superintendent or the Deputy Inspector-General of the Range, as the case may be, for submission to the inspector- General.
  1. No police officer is authorised to requisition military aid for dispersing an unlawful assembly. The duties of a Magistrate who requisitions military aid are given in Appendix IV.
  2. Appendix V contains directions to be followed in obtaining arrest of an offender who has escaped to the United Kingdom. a colony or some other British possession.
  3. A set of rules containing hints for the detection of counterfeit coins will be found in Appendix Vi. Any officer requiring to test suspected coins shall subject them to the tests described therein.
  4. On receiving information that anybody of troops is about to march through a district, the District Magistrate shall forthwith inform the Superintendent and intimate to him the places where the troops will encamp and the date on which they will arrive at each such place.

161A. (a) The Superintendent shall then detail a police party of the strength and composition shown below to meet the troops as they enter the district and to remain with them until they leave the district or until the party is relieved by a similar police party from the next district on the line of march. The Superintendent shall furnish the officer in command of the party with an official letter of introduction to the officer commanding the troops, to which shall be attached a copy of clause (e).

  • When the troops are British the police party shall be commanded by a European Officer, or if no such officer is available, by an Indian Inspector who can speak English. In other cases, an Indian Officer shall command.
  • The police party’ shall be composed as follows:—

(I) For every British cavalry, infantry or mechanised regiment—One European Officer, two head constables and

  • For every British battery of artillery—One European Officer, one head constable aria six constables.
  • For every Indian regiment—One Sub-Inspector, one head constable and six constables.
  • The duties of the police party are as follows: —

(I) the police officer in command shall report himself to the officer commanding the troops and make over the letter of introduction mentioned in clause (b);

(ii) the police officer shall place himself under the orders of the officer commanding the troops and shall report to him morning and evening;

  • the police officer shall take charge of any Indian prisoners, and shall take care that no person of bad character or wandering gypsy is allowed near the camp or line of march: he shall also forward to the nearest police-station any requi- sition for supplies received from the officer commanding the troops; and
  • on relief, the police officer in charge of the party shall report himself to the officer commanding the troops and obtain his permission to return to his headquarters.
  • Officers-in-charge of police-stations along the line of march shall supply any requisitions received from the officer in command of the police party accompanying the troops, and shall maintain a watch over all bad characters living in the neighborhood of encampments or the line of march.
  1. The “Instructions for dealing with substances or objects suspected of being explosive” which have been issued in a separate pamphlet to all Superintendents, Circle Inspectors and Officers-in- charge of police-stations, shall be followed by any officer who may have to deal with such substances or objects.
  2. (a) Any police officer below the rank of Sub-Inspector when detailed on any duty and any officer of the rank of Sub-Inspector when detailed on escort duty shall, unless the Superintendent direct otherwise, obtain from the officer detailing him a command certificate in B. P. Form No. 10.

Exception. —No command certificate shall be necessity when an Assistant Sub inspector in charge of an outpost goes out on night rounds.

  • When several officers are detailed on the same duty, only one command certificate, containing all their names, shall be issued to the senior officer among them.
  • An officer to whom a command certificate is given shall carry it with him, endorse upon it, if he is literate, the action which he rakes upon the orders given to him, and on his return hand it to the officer who issued it.
  • The officer who issued the certificate shall bring to the notice of the Inspector concerned any instance of delay in carrying out the orders.
  • A command certificate returned by an Officer-in-charge of a party detailed from the Special Armed Force for escort duty shall be attached to the escort requisition until the charges have been billed for.

(1) Command certificates, after action has been taken on them, shall be filed with the appropriate counterfoils, to facilitate check by inspecting officers.

  1. All officers of the subordinate ranks are liable to perform any of the ordinary fatigue duties performed by corresponding ranks of the Indian Army. These include repairs to rifle and revolver ranges and butts, loading, unloading and handling Crown property, pitching and striking

tents, care and maintenance of parade and other police grounds, construction and destruction of field works, the maintenance of fire fighting apparatus, demolitions to prevent the spread of fire and the    saving of property from damage by fire or flood.

  1. (a) When a fire alarm is sounded—
  • all ranks shall fall in as quickly as possible. Head constables and constables shall not wait to put on uniform, but shall wear their belts;
  • the senior officer present shall detail such number of men as he considers necessary for duty, issue any fire fighting equipment available and move the party to the scene of the fire as quickly as possible; and
  • the senior officer present shall divide the party into squads to form a cordon round the fire, to assist in measures against the fire and to guard the place selected for depositing salvaged property.
  1. (a) The following whistle calls shall be used: —

(1) the rally, a succession of short blasts; and (ii) the alarm, alternate long and short blasts.

  • The rally shall be used when it is necessary to summon officers within earshot, e.g., to call beat constables to a particular point. On hearing the call, all ranks shall move as quickly as possible to the point where it is being blown.
  • The alarm shall be used only in emergency, when the caller in is danger or for calling officers out of the barracks in case of fire or in like circumstances. On hearing the call, all ranks shall forthwith fall in and await orders at the place where it is being blown.
  1. (a) A list of miscellaneous duties of which the police have been wholly or partially relieved under orders of the Provincial Government, is given in Appendix VII.
  • Every police officer is bound to give reasonable assistance to any officer of the Crown unable to obtain means of transport or necessary supplies of provisions, but he shall not, for this or any other purpose, compel persons to act as bearers, coolies or boatmen who are not accustomed to act as such, or impress bullocks or carts kept exclusively for private or agricultural purposes.
  • Though the police may be utilised for serving notices of demand of taxes assessed on account of additional police appointed under section 15 of the Police Act, 1861, they shall not be employed for the

collection of such taxes except when this course is absolutely unavoidable; and every case in which they are so employed shall be reported to the Deputy Inspector-General.

  1. A list of the miscellaneous Acts and Rules that confer powers on the police, with

particulars of the ranks which may exercise those powers, is contained Appendix VIII.

VIII— GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS RELATING TO ATTENDANCE IN OFFICE,

RECORDS AND CORRESPONDENCE.

  1. All officers of and above the rank of Inspector shall, when at their headquarters, attend their offices during the recognised local office hours and transact their official business there.
  2. (a) The prompt and proper disposal of all communications received is an important duty of all officers in charge of offices, stations and posts.
  • Instructions regarding the opening and disposal of mail received in Superintendents’ offices are given in regulations 1073 and 1074.
  • in any other office, station or post in a district—
  • the senior officer for the time being in charge shall personally open, initial and date all incoming letters, and shall pass orders regarding their distribution and the action to be taken on each;
  • when a communication is delivered by hand the officer who takes delivery shall endorse on the cover, or, if there is no cover, on the papers themselves, the actual time of receipt to the minute, and shall forthwith place the cover or papers before the senior Officer-in-charge who shall endorse on each paper the actual time at which he receives it and shall take other action as under clause (a); and
  • the papers shall then be handed to the officer who is in charge of the register of letters received for distribution to the officers concerned after making the necessary entries in that – register.
  1. In all reports, records, indices, Village Crime Note Books and other similar documents prepared wholly or partly in English, proper names of persons and places shall be written or typed in Block Capitals.
  2. In every report, record, index or other document prepared wholly or partly in English-
  • the names of places shall be spelt according to the spelling given in the “List of Police- Stations” 6f the province concerned, or, if not included in such list, according to the principles therein adopted for the spelling of similar names; and
  • Indian personal names shall be spelt according to the list given in Appendix IX or, if not included in it, according to the principles therein adopted for the spelling of similar names. As it is impossible to maintain an index correctly unless the spelling is standardised, arbitrary methods adopted by individuals for spelling their own names shall be disregarded for police purposes.
  1. Whenever the time is stated in a report, record, index or other document the hour shall be

shown by the twenty-four hour clock system, each day consisting of twenty-four hours beginning and ending at midnight. Four figures shall invariably be used, the first two to denote the hour and the last to denote the minutes past the hour. Thus 00.00 denotes midnight, 08.05 denotes five minutes past eight in the morning, 19.37 denotes thirty-seven minutes past seven in the evening and 23.59 denotes one  minute to midnight.

  1. Personal descriptions shall invariably be recorded in all police documents in accordance with the form and instructions given in Appendix X so far as the necessary particulars can be collected.
  2. (a) Every puce officer shall, when signing any official report, letter or other documents, write his signature clearly and legibly: if his signature is likely to be difficult to decipher, he shall Write his name in block capitals beneath it.

(b) All signatures and initials shall be dated. (c) No police officer shall use a rubber or other samp instead of writing his signature or initial.

  1. (a) The usual channel through which a police officer shall communicate with any officer of

higher rank is his immediate depart- mental superior; and direct communication with any officer of higher rank is forbidden except in emergencies or in matters regarding which there is a special rule  or practice to the contrary. [See  regulation

888 (a).]

  • If in an emergency an officer communicates directly with an officer of higher rank, he shall also send a copy of the communication through the usual channel, together with a statement of his reasons for communicating direct.
  • Regulation 888 (e) governs the withholding by a police officer of communications for a higher authority received from or through his immediate departmental subordinate.
  • All communications for submission to the Provincial Government shall go through the usual channel.
  • When a communication is to be forwarded through the Magistrate and Commissioner, it shall unless there is provision to the contrary be sent by the Superintendent through the District Magistrate to the Deputy Inspector-General of the Range, who shall forward it through the Commissioner to the Inspector-General.
  1. Orders and replies shall be written neatly in proper sequence across the page on clean sheets of paper cut to foolscap size. When there is no room left for writing on the sheet used, fresh sheets shall be attached and serially numbered.

A reply to any letter, half margin communication or communication on a form shall be headed with the work “Reply.”

  1. In all departmental correspondence, a half-margin memo- randum shall be used when the reply can be given in a few words. The office orders leading up to such reply shall be entered on a separate paper known as an action slip and not on the memorandum itself. No docket is required, the only record necessary being the entries in the receipt and despatch registers.
  2. All official communications sent by officers of the Bengal Police to any police officer under any other Government or administration shall be in. English or in the language of the place ox destination.
  3. (a) The Inspector-General and District Magistrates may correspond direct with British

officials in the United Kingdom and the colonies regarding criminal cases actually under investigation or any British matter connected with police intelligence but they should first communicate with the Director, Central Intelligence Bureau, who may be in a position to supply the information desired; and they should send him a copy of any direct communications with officials in the United Kingdom. Copies of all such correspondence with officials in the United Kingdom or colonies should be submitted to the Provincial Government to be forwarded to the India Office for information.

(b) All other communications to officials of countries outside India shall be forwarded through the Provincial Government.

  1. (a) All official communications or documents sent through the post shall be enclosed in official covers; those addressed to destinations within the British Empire shall be stamped with service stmps and those to foreign countries with ordinary postage stamps.
  • The unnecessary use of several service postage stamps of low value, when fewer stamps of higher denomination might be used, shall be avoided.
  • It is forbidden to use official stationery or service stamps for private correspondence or to enclose private correspondence with official communications. Officers shall not send communication on private matters, such as their leave, change of appointment, etc., by service messages, or in service-paid letters. Should a reply to such a communication be required by telegram, the cost of the reply shall be prepaid. Any infringement of this regulation should be brought to the notice of the official superiors for disciplinary action.
  1. Heavy packages of official returns, files and similar matter shall if they conform with the rules in the Post and Telegraph Guide be sent through the post as “book packets” or “parcels,” according to weight. Book packets may not contain letters, but a parcel may contain one letter, to the addressee of the parcel, or, if it consists of several files, one letter per file.
  2. (a) Official letters, book packets and parcels on which postage has not been prepaid or sufficiently paid shall, if duly superscribed “On His Majesty’s Service” or “On Service” and inscrib-ed by the sender, be received by the addressee who shall pay the charges due.
  • Letters and other postal packets sent by private individuals or associations without prepayment of postage or with postage insufficient paid shall ordinarily be returned unopened to the post office of delivery.
  1. (a) Official telegrams shall invariably be marked “State” by the sender in the space provided on the form.
  • Telegrams shall usually be marked “ordinary” but in an emergency, “express” telegrams may be sent; and when there is a great emergency, police officers may send telegrams marked “special police.”
  • Special police telegrams, which take precedence over almost all other classes of telegrams, are received for despatch and delivery at all telegraph offices during business hours and during closed hours on payment of late fees.
  • The charges for all State telegrams shall be paid by service stamps. Special police and express State telegramps will be received by telegraph offices for despatch without prepayment, but the charges must be paid into the office concerned within 24 hours.

NOTE.—(i) it should be borne in mind that some offices do not deliver “late fee” telegrams, in such cases the accepting office is bound to inform the sender.

  • Police officers not below the rank of Sub-Inspector in the district of Chittagong and those attacheti to the Central and District Intelligence Branches are authorised to send “Special Police” telegrams to Burma on payment of the usual charges for such telegrams.
  1. All telegrams shall be worded as briefly as possible provided that the meaning is clear; the abbreviated address, if any, of the addressee shall always be used.
  2. When a telegram, is repeated in another telegram, the designation of the original sender and the place and date of despatch shall precede the message. Thus’, a telegram repeating a telegram from the Superintendent of Police, Midnapore, despatched from Tamluk on 1st October, should be worded as follows:—Superintendent Police, Midnapore, telegraphs from Tamluk’ under date 1st October., “Begins Ends,”
  3. If any officer who is not authorised to do so wishes to communicate by telegram with any authority outside India in respect of the detection or apprehension of an offender, he shall tiegraph to the Deputy Inspector-General, Criminal Investigation Department, who may take action through the Director, Central Intelligence Bureau.
  4. Provincial Government has decided that Indian gentlemen appointed to be or to act as District Magistrates or District and Sessions Judges or Additional Judges, Superintendents or Additional Superintendents should he addressed as “Mr.’ and “Esquire”. This mode of address should also be adopted in the case of all Indian gentlemen who aare members of the covenanted Civil Service or of any Imperial Service, irrespective of their official rank.