Sulkhan Singh: From humble background to UP’s top cop
The name plate fixed near the main entrance of the ancestral house of newly-appointed UP DGP Sulkhan Singh in Jauharpur village in Banda district is the only insignia that differentiates it from other semiconcrete houses.
But for the villagers, Sulkhan Singh is a ‘karm yogi’ – the one who believes in action -- who has made his village proud of him.
As one traverses through cultivation machines, tools and gunny bags packed with grain to reach the verandah, it becomes clear that farming is the main occupation of the family.
Sulkhan’s father Lakhan Singh is busy discussing plantation of paddy in the coming kharif season.
“My son got the reward of honesty and diligence,” Singh said as the villagers nodded in agreement.
The village erupted in celebration as the news of Sulkhan’s appointment as DGP broke out on Friday.
Sulkhan’s mother Kalawati Devi said the villagers informed her that her son had been appointed to the coveted post.
“I knew he will make big in life as he was promising and intelligent since school days. Sulkhan has not visited the village for the last one year. After taking the charge, he should visit home to share his achievement with the family and villagers,” she said.
Sulkhan’s younger brother Rajnish resides in the village and helps the family in farming. “My brother has earned fame due to his honesty and hard work. He will definitely take measures to check corruption in the police force and order crackdown on criminal gangs,” he said.
Former head of Jauharpur village Balwan Singh said Sulkhan Singh came from a humble background and rose to the top post in the state police by dint of hard work and commitment.
Singh studied in the village school till class 8 and completed high school from Tindwari School. He completed intermediate from Adarsh Bajrang Inter College in Banda and civil engineering from Roorkee.
He cleared the civil services examination in the first attempt in 1980.
Babulal Gupta, a retired school teacher at Adarsh Bajrang Inter College, said Sulkhan was a disciplined and a studious boy.
“Singh has completed 37 years in police service. He owns a flat in Alaknanda apartment in Lucknow and 2.3 acre land in his ancestral village,” a police officer said.
“To send a message to the people that he means business, Singh made it clear the police would take action against the people who are indulging in vigilantism in the name of ‘gau raksha’,” he said.