On International Women’s Day, Tania Roy catches up with Police Inspector Neelima Jadhav, Shivajinagar Traffic Division in-charge, who says she enjoys her everyday challenges at work and manages to live life without regrets
With a dynamic personality and no-nonsense demeanour, Police Inspector Neelima Jadhav, Shivajinagar Traffic Division In-charge impresses you at first sight. Standing at more than ft 7 inches tall with a robust body frame, she commands your attention.
Neelima has been handling the ‘sensitive’ Shivajinagar traffic division for the past one-and-a-half years and has been faring well. “Located in the heart of the city, Shivajinagar is always a busy area. The corporation is situated here, most of the morchas (processions) pass through this place and several VVIPs take this route. Also, ever since the serial bomb blasts took place on JM Road, the area has been under constant threat,” says Neelima, who enjoys the everyday challenges of her job.
Her day begins at 6 am with yoga. From 7.30 to 8.30 am, she wraps up housework and leaves for office at 9 am. “If there is a bandstand to be taken care of, I leave earlier for work, may be at 5 am. If my day ends at 9.30 pm, I call it ‘early’. Usually, I am back home at 11.30 pm,” says Neelima, who also has to go on night rounds (from midnight to 5 am) once in every 15 days or 8 days when there are fewer officers on duty. “One of the lessons that my parents have inculcated in me is that ‘always do your work whole-heartedly’ and I try to live up to their expectations,” says Neelima and smiles.
Bullet-wali
In her hometown Satara, Neelima is known as ‘Bullet-wali’. The youngest among five siblings, Neelima started riding her father’s Royal Enfield when she was about 10 or 12 years old. “When dad was asleep, I used to sneak out with his Bullet. With a little assistance from my cousin, I managed to balance the bike and once I put it in gear, there was no looking back,” says Neelima who still treasures and rides her dad’s 1952 Royal Enfield.
She is passionate about driving. Many a time in her youth, she has driven a tractor to college. But mostly she enjoys high-speed driving. “But high-speed driving comes with a price. I have met with several accidents and I still have those injuries. However, I have learnt to live with them,” says the dauntless police officer.
Reminiscing her childhood days, she says she has never faced any kind of gender discrimination at home. “Till IX or Xth standard, I wore shorts and had a boy’s crop. My dad, who was a wrestler, taught me how to wrestle. My mother, who has been working in the farm for the past 50 years, has always encouraged me to work,” says Neelima.
The law enforcer
About the chaotic Pune traffic, Neelima has one thing to say: “Unless drivers have self-discipline, you can’t expect a huge change in the scenario. To break a traffic signal is illegal, but many of the drivers do not even bother to look at the signal. They also know they have to wear the seat belt and not talk on the mobile phone, but most of the time they do not pay heed to the law,” says Neelima, adding that more women drivers are breaking traffic lights nowadays.
“We are not lenient with women drivers. There’s equal penalty for all delinquent drivers. But yes, women drivers, who flout the law, sometimes make a huge a ruck’s, especially when they see a male officer on duty. At times, the officer just lets off the driver to avoid harassment!” says Neelima.
Her Hobbies
Apart from her passion for driving, Neelima enjoys horse-riding and cooking. “Though I have not got the time to cook since I have been in-charge of the Shivajinagar Traffic Division, I love cooking regular food like jowar roti, sabzi, dal. My favourite is ghee mutton. But ask me to cook continental food like pasta or pizza and you will get me stumped!” she says.
Neelima also loves serving citizens, especially senior people.
In the future, she intends to set up a residential school for the handicapped. “You have schools for the visually and hearing impaired, but there are hardly any residential schools for the handicapped. I want to set up a state-of-the-art school for them,” she adds.
Message for women
Keeping in mind the rising crimes against women, Neelima says the only way to handle assaulter is to face them. “If you are being eve-teased on the road, just face the offender. If you raise your voice, there will be two or more people joining you to stand up for your cause and your rights,” she advises .
Also, she’s not for death penalty for rapists. “I don’t want death for sex offenders. They should feel the pain that they inflict on their victims,” says she and continues, “Women on their part should not wear skimpy clothes. It’s not wrong to wear jeans or dresses but make sure your clothes are not tiny.”