14 January,2015 12:01 PM IST | | Ankita Saripadiya
Puroshattam Bhinde had donated his land to the Mulund police way back in 1963; his son Pratap celebrated the police station's 50th birthday with cops yesterday
For the staff at Mulund police station, yesterday brought with it a big reason to celebrate. While lights brightened the building, flowers and rangoli decorated the main door. The occasion was the police station turning 50.
Bhinde's son Pratap, whose family still stays on the land behind the police station, was present for the celebration. Pic/Rajesh Gupta
Mulund resident Puroshattam Kheraj Bhinde, who owned oil mills and a factory of ball bearings, had donated a plot to the police department in 1963 and even got the police station constructed. Mulund had the first police station in Mumbai with a lock-up and residences for police officers.
The Mulund police station was the first three-storey police station in Mumbai with a lock-up
The good samaritan
Bhinde four generations of whose family still stay on part of the land they own behind the police station believed that police officers work for the citizens' safety and so should have proper residences and a good place to work out of.
Puroshattam Kheraj Bhinde donated his land and even got the police station built
So, more than 50 years ago, he donated a part of his land for a police station and even got it constructed. This was the first police station in Mumbai with a proper three-storey building. There were also 36 flats behind it for officers.
On January 13, 1964, the Mulund police station was inaugurated by then Mumbai Police Commissioner S Majidulla and Chief Minister Vasantrao Naik. Bhinde, who had lost his leg years before and used a wheelchair, died in 1974.
Bhinde's son Pratap Puroshottam Bhinde (78) was present at the police station for the celebration yesterday. He said, "My father donated almost everything he had to the citizens and also to the police department. He was brilliant and a very good man."
Additional Commissioner of Police Dhananjay Kamlakar was present for the celebration. In the evening, there was a function at Kalidas hall on P K Road, Mulund West, as part of the celebration. A short documentary on Mulund made by the police was also screened.
Some children from schools in Mulund and Bhandup performed dances from the different states. DCP Vinay Rathod, said "In 1964 there was one inspector and over 24 personnel at Mulund police station. Now there are 34 inspectors and over 225 personnel."
