Remembering the Tiger of police

Marking the Police Commemoration Day, Chadalavada Umesh Chandra was honoured and remembered along with other brave martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the society

Popularly known as Tiger by the people of Cuddapah, Chadalavada Umesh Chandra, IPS, was a legend and undoubtedly the most reputed police officer in the history of Andhra Pradesh. He was feared by antisocial elements and criminals but was known to be kind and affectionate to commoners. Umesh created tremors in the backbone of naxals and factionists. In his tenure as the SP of Cuddapah district, which was considered as second most troublesome district in India, he restored normalcy in no time, with his extraordinary abilities.

Umesh Chandra was born on March 29, 1966, at Pedapudi, Guntur, to Chadalavada Venugopala Rao and Nayanatara. He studied at Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet and graduated (BA) from the Nizam College in 1987 followed by Masters in Economics from the Osmania University in 1989. He was university topper and gold medalist in the graduate and postgraduate examinations. Umesh got selected for the Indian Police Service in 1991 and underwent training in the National Police Academy, Hyderabad.

First posted as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Warangal from October 1992 to October 1994, he started a highly successful public awareness campaign titled ‘Jana Jaagruti’. He was later shifted to Pulivendula, wherein he worked from November 1994 to February 1995. He returned to Warangal as officer on special duty and continued his work in the district by apprehending criminals, helping the common man, uplifting the spirits of the police force and projecting the humane side of the force.

The attitude of the people towards the police changed markedly during his tenure in the Warangal district. He planned and executed with precision, the stratagems to capture naxalites. He was promoted as the Superintendent of Police (SI) of Cuddapah district between June 1995 and June 1997 and as SP of Karimnagar district between June 1997 and April 1998. He was promoted as AIG (welfare and sports) for which he worked from November 1998 to September 1999.

Unfortunately, Umesh Chandra was assassinated on September 4, 1999, when he was shot by four naxals at a traffic signal at Sanjeevareddy Nagar. Incidentally, he did not carry his handgun with him that day. His driver and gunman were killed instantly as they were shot at point blank range while Umesh chased the naxalites. They sensed that he did not carry a weapon and turned back and fired at him twice. Umesh Chandra then collapsed on the road, at which point they shot him dead.

Everyone in the state, irrespective of age, shed tears over the loss of a legend. Hundreds from other districts of the State converged at Hyderabad to pay their respects to a daring and a brave warrior who refused to compromise on his principles.

To honour their association with Umesh Chandra, several police divisions and peoples’ associations started a number of campaigns such as sports meets, cricket matches, feeding the poor, water camps during summer and supplying snacks to patients in hospitals.

Friends, former classmates and others who worked with Umesh Chandra established a public trust to work for the betterment of society. Umesh’s family gives away medals and prizes to indigent school students on March 29 annually, which is the birthday. On September 4 (Umesh’s wedding anniversary) every year, police personnel are felicitated in his honour. The trust also takes up various social responsibility activities to fulfill the wish of the Umesh Chandra.