A legacy of enduring dedication
Pt Gautam Kaul, Retired IPS is no more. He breathed his last on September 18, 2024 and the last rites were performed at 4.00 p.m. at Lodhi Crematorium New Delhi, with full police honours, the following day. It was a touching seen with thousands of his friends and well-wishers jostling to have a last glimpse of the departed soul even as the last post was being played as the body was laid on the byre.
Even though Pt Kaul was the first cousin of Smt. Indira Gandhi, on receiving the news of her shooting in the Prime Minister’s House he did not lose his nerve in such a momentous crisis. As Additional Commissioner of Police, he was overall in charge of South, West and New Delhi Districts, he took immediate initiative in organizing the investigation into the case and looked after the Bandobast at the AIIMS, the PM’s residence and Teen Murti House where the body of the late Prime Minister was later kept in state for 3 days. His request for making all possible force of CRPF etc. available to Delhi police also showed his presence of mind and keen foresight.
Unfortunately, however, while he was engrossed in looking after the affairs outside and inside Teen Murti house, he did not realise that the DCPs of South and West Districts were not handling the situation in their respective areas properly, which resulted in the break-down of law and order in these two districts, while the situation in New Delhi district was, by and large, controlled. What is surprising is that even the arrests made by Pt Kaul himself in the evening of 1.11.1984 appear to have been taken very lightly by the DCPs.
On receiving a wireless message that villagers had come into the Friends Colony and were burning and looting the bungalows indiscriminately, he rushed personally towards Friends Colony where he met DCP (South) who was moving about with two sections strength in a pick-up. Near the house of Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora, on being informed that some people had gone into a neighbouring house, he went in and during his search he discovered one man in the cupboard of the bath room of that house.
He pulled him out and he started shrieking. Other villagers who were hiding under the beds, in almirahs and under blankets also suddenly exposed themselves in panic, and he discovered eight looters with their pockets filled with money and other articles of loot. In another house, he caught another six persons who were indulging in looting. According to Pt Kaul, he and the DCP (South) arrested about 40 looters in a two-hour operation. He instructed DCP (South) to dispatch the arrested persons to the police station, Srinivaspuri, and thereafter he organised a self-defence group of the residents of the Colony so that they could patrol the area at regular intervals.
Later at about 9.30 PM, a bus-load of arrested ‘looters’ was brought from other Police Stations and they all were locked up in PS Defence Colony. Some of them had attacked passengers in the trains at Palam and some were persons who were detained by the Railway Police in Tughlakabad Railway Yard. He then instructed DCP (South) to issue instructions to register as many cases per incident as possible and also that special investigating teams be created in the Police Stations for registration of FIRs and their subsequent investigation. It seems that DCP (South) was not keen to get cases registered and he even had the audacity to let off the looters caught by the Addl. Commissioner of Police himself.
The overall assessment picture which emerged was that Pt Gautam Kaul did his best within his limitations to organise the affairs in the areas in which he went. His general response in a situation of crisis was such as could be expected from a seasoned senior officer of a disciplined force. He was, however, let down badly by two of his Deputy Commissioners of Police.
The Delhi police began its own internal review after announcing, on the very first day, the suspension of Additional Commissioner of Police Gautam Kaul and some of his deputies, including Sub-Inspector Balwant Singh, who was stationed just below the canopy where Karamjit Singh hid, but who had wandered off from the point when the shots were fired.
The Special Protection Group and the National Security Guard had both been directed to assess their own lapses in the incident and the Intelligence Bureau - reduced to a mere intelligence-feeding agency of late - has been asked to actively oversee and prepare spot reports on the security arrangements at all prime ministerial engagements in Delhi.
In another momentous event involving the assassination attempt on the prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, a number of inquiries predictably sparked off. A panel under Cabinet Secretary B.G. Deshmukh has been charged with identifying dereliction of duty, lapses in security by the different agencies involved and recommending remedial measures.
The Delhi police began its own internal review after announcing, on the very first day, the suspension of Additional Commissioner of Police Pt Gautam Kaul and some of his deputies, including Sub-Inspector Balwant Singh, who was stationed just below the canopy where Karamjit Singh hid, but who had wandered off from the point when the shots were fired. This unfortunate incident prevented him from being elevated to the post of Commissioner of Police, Delhi.
But looking to his professional capabilities, his impeccable integrity, and the respect he enjoyed among the ranks, his elevation could not be held in abeyance indefinitely. He was made the Director General ITBP, which post he held till his retirement and here too he performed his duties with elan and professionalism.
Pt Gautam Kaul was a prolific writer, author and music aficionado. His film reviews were eye-openers for many film directors and producers.
Pt Kaul was a true philanthropist and top leader in the KP community. He will always be remembered for his humility, kindness, and compassion. He touched the lives of many, leaving behind a legacy of enduring dedication. I had just hung my boots when one fine morning I found Pt Gautam Kaul knocking at my residence, with Pt Ram Krishen Bhat of Vitasta Hospital Mission in toe. I was somewhat taken aback because though I had known Pt Kaul socially for a couple of years, when he disclosed the mission of his sudden visit. Waiving a bunch of papers, he asked me point blank not to say “no” to signing these.
It was an invitation to join him as a Trustee in the Vitastata Health Care Trust of which he was the Chairman. This was indeed a favour, which changed the direction of my life and made me more responsive to the calling of the society in general and Kashmiri Pandit community in particular. Later, when he suffered from Covid and his movement became restricted, he asked me to perform his duties as a Chairman, which I have been doing ever since.
In mourning his loss, we could do no better than carry forward the work left behind by him
By: Bhushan Lal Razdan, formerly of the Indian Revenue Service, retired as Director General of Income Tax (Investigation), Chandigarh.
