THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For the first time in its history, the Kerala Police’s mounted wing will be getting a batch of professionally trained horsemen to join its ranks.
On June 4, the Public Service Commission (PSC) published the rank list of police constables (mounted police), from which candidates would be appointed within two to three months, sources said. Until now, police officers worked in the wing on deputation.
This is the first time a direct appointment to Kerala’s lone mounted police, deployed under the Thiruvananthapuram city police, is being done through PSC.
The new recruits will undergo nine-month training at the police academy, after which they will be attached to the wing, said a source. A colonial legacy, the unit is primarily used for night patrols, parades and ceremonies.
Currently, there are 14 vacancies in the unit, which will be filled from the rank list featuring 19 names. Two of the aspirants are ex-servicemen, who were granted upper-age relaxation owing to their horse-riding experience in the armed forces.
The PSC notification mandated candidates have minimum one-year experience in horse-riding from a firm or sports club under the state or Union governments, State Sports Council, or Sports Authority of India.
The PSC had issued a notification in September 2023 for 14 vacancies having a pay scale of Rs 31,100-Rs 66,800.
23 cops worked in the wing on deputation earlier
Before the recruitment was handed over to the PSC, 23 cops were working in the wing on deputation. They were deployed based on their expression of interest in working with horses. As many as 14 personnel were repatriated after they crossed 31 years, the cut-off age set by the police department, while nine men who were below the cut off age were retained.
The unit, which has a sanctioned strength of 25 horse, currently has just 11, including Kathiawari, Marwari and thoroughbred breeds. Three more thoroughbred horses from the Army’s Remount Veterinary Corps (RVC) will join the unit this month.
The Army, meanwhile, has informed the state police that it is ready to supply more thoroughbred horses by November. The police had written to the Army seeking seven horses, but were sanctioned only three citing shortage of trained horses. Training of the current batch of horses will be completed by the end of this year, after which Kerala Police can purchase horses from them.