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.
<img title="Bhinde&rsquo;s son Pratap, whose family still stays on the land behind the police station, was present for the celebration. Pic/Rajesh Gupta" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/jan/Puroshattam-Bhinde-1.jpg" alt="Bhinde&rsquo;s son Pratap, whose family still stays on the land behind the police station, was present for the celebration. Pic/Rajesh Gupta" /> Bhinde&rsquo;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.
<img title="The Mulund police station was the first three-storey police station in Mumbai with a lock-up" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/jan/Mulund-Police-Station.jpg" alt="The Mulund police station was the first three-storey police station in Mumbai with a lock-up" /> 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&rsquo; safety and so should have proper residences and a good place to work out of.
<img title="Puroshattam Kheraj Bhinde donated his land and even got the police station built" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/jan/Puroshattam-Bhinde-2.jpg" alt="Puroshattam Kheraj Bhinde donated his land and even got the police station built" /> 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&rsquo;s son Pratap Puroshottam Bhinde (78) was present at the police station for the celebration yesterday. He said, &ldquo;My father donated almost everything he had to the citizens and also to the police department. He was brilliant and a very good man.&rdquo;
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 &ldquo;In 1964 there was one inspector and over 24 personnel at Mulund police station. Now there are 34 inspectors and over 225 personnel.&rdquo;

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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

50 years ago, this man gifted Mumbai a police station

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Home / Mumbai / Mumbai News / Article / 50 years ago, this man gifted Mumbai a police station

50 years ago, this man gifted Mumbai a police station

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