A few recent releases have seen decorated police officers turn storytellers, recounting gritty cases and personal battles. Here are three you can check out:
Troubleshooter by Jitendra Dixit (Pan/2025):
Over the course of his 35-year-long stint in the Indian Police Service, Krishipal ‘KP’ Raghuvanshi came to be known as the quintessential ‘Troubleshooter’. He founded the elite C-60 unit to combat Naxalism; led the creation of the Special Task Force (STF) to implement the Srikrishna Commission Report; set up the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Mumbai and dealt with the horrific 26/11 terror attacks. This is his story.
When It All Began by Rakesh Maria (Vintage/2025):
In the 1980s, the streets of Dongri, Pydhonie, Nagpada, Agripada and Byculla witnessed some of the bloodiest gang wars and reigns of terror India had ever seen. These neighbourhoods became the battlegrounds of crime. But when did it all begin? It all goes back to the 1930s, when Abdul Karim Sher Khan Pathan, aka Karim Lala, considered one of the first feared dons of Bombay, arrived in the city. Rakesh Maria, who led some of India’s most high-profile investigations, reflects on this tumultuous history.
Unforgettable Chapters by Prakash Singh (Rupa/2025):
From the troubled terrains of Nagaland to the landscapes of Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir, this book unveils the relentless battles against insurgency and the delicate dance between law enforcement and political interests. Top cop Prakash Singh recounts trans-border operations and the struggle to secure the nation’s borders against threats.
Mood Board is a column that presents thematic lists of books on hot-button topics.