Coimbatore city police is back in the saddle after a gap of 11 years

Top police officials have been taking efforts to revive the battalion over the years but in vain. 

In February, the Madras Race Club donated the five race horses to the Mounted battalion in Chennai, where they underwent training for a month. Last month, 10 personnel from Coimbatore city police underwent training in handling these horses in Chennai. On Tuesday night, the horses were brought to Coimbatore where they will remain in service till retirement. 

Of the five horses in the mounted battalion, five-year-old Scent of Power is the lone female. The oldest among them is eight-year-old Aviator. The others are Regimental Hero (4), Power of Liberty (4) and Dancing Duke (5). Sources in the battalion said that Aviator was the only horse that has retired from racing. 

Coimbatore City police Commissioner A Amalraj, who watched the horses at the stable at the Police Recruits School Ground in the city, told reporters that they will be used for patrolling at crowded places such as Gandhipuram, Oppanakara Street, Race Course and CODISSIA grounds. 

He added that five more horses would soon be inducted to the battalion to reach its full capacity of 10. 

“Usually, horses that turn eight-years-old are relieved from racing clubs in Madras, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. In Ooty, horses are used for racing till the age of 10. The average life expectancy of this breed is 25 years. However, owing to the demands of the department, they can serve in the battalion till the age of 20-21,” said Sub Inspector A Subramanian, who will be heading the unit. 

The SI, along with a team of 10 policemen and five keepers will take care of the horses. The department has sanctioned Rs 500 per day for each horse. 

Subramanian, who will be retiring by the end of this month has had a long stint with the mounted battalion since he joined the force in 1989. After two years of training at the unit in Chennai, he came to Coimbatore in 1991 when the unit was first started with 10 horses. He was with the unit until 2004 and was with other units after the mounted battalion was shut down in 2006. 

Subramanian was more than happy to be heading the unit shortly before his retirement. Though the battalion has been revived, it would take more than a month for the horses to be ready for duty, as they are race horses and not used to being around people. In Chennai, the horses have hit the road only once. 

“It would be dangerous for the horses, riders and public if someone honks his vehicle on the road. The horses should get accustomed to the conditions before they are used for crowd management,” a police officer said.