FIR (First Information Report)

A tale narrated on Twitter by @cyclingsultan when he had to go to the nearest police station to file FIR for his stolen wallet in New Delhi.

Do I have to go to the nearest police station to register a FIR? I just found out my wallet was stolen on the railway station last night. Does anyone know what the procedure is when one loses a wallet? I just blocked my bank cards. Now what, next?

Thanks a lot for all your helpful suggestions. heading to the police station now to register an FIR. I lost my PAN and Election ID Card too.

If this is what I had to go through in just getting an FIR from the police, imagine the plight of someone who needs police help in distress. I had it relatively easy as I could exercise privilege by speaking to them as an empowered citizen. I managed to get the stamped letter.

Despite digitizing complaint system the police still fill forms in triplicates. I had to write the same letter three times (just like that). First they kept made me change the word 'stolen' to 'lost' because it would be hard to prove in the courts. Rewrite the letter again. I did. Second, after writing the letter second time, it got passed around and within five minutes was promptly lost among the various desks.

My diction/clothes helped too. The police know class divisions better than most. I lost my temper and gave a earful. In return, the officer gave me one too for having too much on his plate. But why lose a letter I gave? Third attempt at writing letter, while a junior police officer was assigned to simultaneously copy the letter in word on a computer.

After a 30-minute wait, I was finally given a letter, which was promptly signed & stamped. I thanked them all & left the station. Phew! They didn't want me to write all the items I had in my wallet. They didn't want me to mention cash. They wanted me to mention 'lost in Agra'. The officer made it clear. He said don't make our life difficult. Just say you lost your bank cards and your official ID cards. That's it.

He was dictating the letter to me like I didn't know how to write. If I formulated my sentence, I was being out of line with his template. Another chap (not from Delhi) who had lost his laptop on the train was told not to stress them as they should take care of their belongings.

The police station in India has to be the most depressing (frustrating) place in the country (apart from government hospitals). I still had it easy. I was out in an hour from the police station unlike others who are made to wait & wait till they give up on the system.