Malkangiri: The Malkangiri College here, the center for Odisha constable recruitment examination, witnessed a heart-touching incident on Sunday when a lady constable posted at the venue came to the rescue of a young woman candidate and helped her appear for the exam.
According to reports, 22-year-old candidate Chanchala Malik came to answer her paper at the center at around 9.20 am on Sunday with her four-month-old girl. Chanchala had asked her mother and mother-in-law to come to the center to attend to the baby while she answered her paper. Unfortunately for her, no one turned up for help. The matter worsened when the baby started crying. She though she had no option but to miss her exam.
As the time for the exam was drawing close, Chanchala waited anxiously for someone from her family to come and take care of the baby, who also needed to be fed at intervals. Just before the exam hall was about to be closed, Basanti Choudhary, a lady constable deputed at the venue, came to her rescue.
Seeing the hapless mother and the crying child, 28-year-old Basanti offered to take care of the infant and asked Chanchala to go ahead with her examination. Playing a Good Samaritan, Basanti not only consoled the child but also fed her while Chanchala was answering her paper.
After the exam was over, an overwhelmed Chanchala took her child but did not have words to thank Constable Basanti.
While the incident moved all those present at Malkangiri College then, it is also a testimony of the benefits of women’s empowerment. Unlike in many states, Odisha Police has a 33 per cent reservation for women. This gives the state police an edge over other forces, making them more empathetic.
