Indore: Laebamba, how they fought the blaze in Holkar times

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Fire Brigade Department, which is one of the essential departments, was established in Indore in 1909. Historian Zafar Ansari says that the fire brigade was called ‘Laebamba’ at that time. The services of the fire brigade were provided in the city by horsecarts or bullock carts. Steam engines of the capacity of 500 gallons, 200 gallons and 100 gallons were imported from England to Indore. They were under the supervision of 30 soldiers of the princely state of Holkar.

At that time, the firefighters used to carry the steam engine on carts. At present, the steam engine of those times is still kept at the fire station behind Gandhi Hall.

Ansari adds that, on May 15, 1925, a raging fire occurred at Marothia Market in which 14 buildings were destroyed and items worth Rs 2 lakh at that time gutted. The firefighters of Holkar State doused the fire, otherwise the entire Marothia Market would have been gutted. Ansari adds that the fire brigade used to operate near the Badwali Chowki in the middle of the city at that time. Later, it was shifted to Moti Tabela.

Actor Salman Khan’s grandad was DIG-Indore, Holkar State

It is interesting that Abdul Rashid Khan, grandfather of Bollywood actor Salman Khan and father of script writer Salim Khan, was posted at the Palasia police station of the princely state of Holkar. Later, Maharaja Holkar appointed him as DIG, says Ansari.

Traffic Police in Indore

Till 1922, there were no traffic police in Indore city. With the increase in population and traffic, the traffic police force was appointed. Traffic police personnel used to handle vehicular movement from under a wooden shed on Krishnapura bridge, near Krishnapura Chhatri. After Independence, Madhya Pradesh’s first electric traffic signal was installed near Mrignayani in 1961.