A HOLSTERED ACCOUNT
Abildungsroman of sorts set in late 20th century India, this senior policeman’s memoir follows a colourful trajectory from provincial thanas to urban criminals to the opaque demeanours and misdemeanours of politicians in the heart of government. Kaushal has clearly had an interesting career and highlights range from casebook classics like cracking the ‘sensational abduction of an antique(s) dealer’ to negotiating with separatists of many stripes including the Hizbul Mujahideen, the NSCN(IM) and the GNLF. Kaushal’s restraint is always evident and was presumably an asset in these assignments. But the reader may wish for more of a tellall. There is a particularly intriguing lacuna in his narrative of the 1970s which leaps from a posting as IGP of Goa, Daman and Diu in 1974 to the security details of PM Morarji Desai in 1978. It seems almost impertinent to ask but one wonders where he spent the (cough) Emergency. ■