Police Museum Walk by Thirupurasundari Sevvel.
| Photo Credit: R. RAGU
Participants visiting the Police Museum in the Old Police Commissioner’s office in Egmore were awestruck by the history of the State police force and the rented ‘bungalow’ from which it started functioning during the British period.
The tour of the Police Museum was held as part of the ‘Made of Chennai’ campaign on Sunday.
Guiding the participants in the heritage walk, architect and curator Thirupurasundari Sevvel explained the Indo-Saracenic architecture, the Madras terrace roof, and spatial planning of the building even while tracing the history of the building from a house to an office and then into a museum.
Right from the entrance where an old Plymouth car along with an old police patrol vehicle of Hindustan motors were parked to the ‘Seemai Vandi’ used as a patrol cycle for police personnel in the 1800s and the Tiger trophy gifted to Tamil Nadu Police for the work carried out during the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020-21 by Steve Borgia and family, the participants were taken on a time travel.
Ms. Sevvel said the vacant plot owned by Arunagiri Mudaliar was constructed into a bungalow in 1842 and was later purchased by the first Commissioner of Police, Lieutenant-Colonel J.C. Boulderson for Rs. 21,000 in 1856. This office later became the Madras Police Commissioner’s office and served as the Commissioner’s office till 2013. She explained the restoration of the building into a museum by the Tamil Nadu Police Housing Corporation, Reach Foundation, and Conservation Mainstream in October 2020.
The walk of the museum gave an insight into the important historical happenings involving the State police comprising the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, shooting down of the elephant poacher Veerappan, the LIC building fire of July 11, 1975, the operation Ajanta against Naxals in Tirupattur and the police force’s relief work during Chennai floods of December 2015.
The Hindu Made of Chennai is presented by Casagrand and powered by SRM. Associate Partners: Tata Tea Chakra Gold, Tata Coffee, Hell Energy. Tourism sponsor: UP Tourism. Walk partners: Chennai Port Authority and Kamarajar Port Limited. Curation partner: Nam Veedu Nam Oor Nam Kadhai. The 40-day celebration is also done in partnership with Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation, Greater Chennai Corporation, Greater Chennai Police, Greater Chennai Traffic Police and Namma Marina, Namma Pride. Radio Partners: Big FM, Fever FM and Radio One.
Published – August 25, 2025 12:22 am IST
