For two hours on Tuesday, the Jubilee Hills police station in Hyderabad had an eight-year-old inspector.

Mahak Kothari, who is battling a life-threatening illness, 'officiated' as the station house officer, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Hyderabad, and the Director-General of Police Swaranjit Sen.

"I am very happy. I will protect the people and I will tackle the bad guys [badmash]," an elated Mahak said, after he sat on the SHO's chair.

Mahak, a class 3 student at the Paramount school in Aghapura, had harboured ambitions of becoming a police officer.

However, as fate willed it, the boy was diagnosed to be suffering from a life-threatening disease eight months ago. Make-a-Wish Foundation, an NGO, came to know about his wish.

"We came to know about this boy from our volunteers. We spoke to him and inquired about his wish. To fulfill his wish, we approached the DGP who immediately responded," the Foundation's representative Talluru Madhuri told newsmen.

Mahak's father Anil Kothari, who is in private service, said: "We are very happy. For the last eight months, he is suffering from this life-threatening disease. For a brief while though, his wish has been fulfilled."

Inspector-General of Police Tejdeep Kaur Menon facilitated Mahak to experience being a police officer with the active cooperation of R Mandapati Srinivas, Inspector.

The boy was first taken to the DGP's office. Dressed in crisp khakis, Mahak saluted DGP Sen. The DGP then gave him a bouquet. All the while, his four-year-old sibling Dhruv tried to snatch the baton from Mahak Kothari.

Patting Mahak, the DGP said, "He is a very smart police officer. We have to give him an important assignment. We are posting him at the Jubilee Hills police station because he is a young officer.

"There are a lot of dacoits and badmaash in that area. It is an important police station. Don't be afraid. Tackle the badmaash."

Mahak, who arrived at the station in a police jeep and armed with a revolver, was presented a guard of honour and saluted by the policemen on his arrival. The inspector greeted him.

Mahak even got to interrogate a petty offender, asking him what his offence was. He told the offender that instead of committing thefts, he could earn a living by working hard, before adding that offenders would be sent to jail.

Text: Syed Amin Jafri | Photograph: Snaps India