BHOPAL: Apart from maintaining law and order, this police station in Madhya Pradesh's Mandla district is performing an extra duty: motivating people to protect tigers. Khatia police station , which is situated close to Kanha Tiger Reserve , is a clear testimony to its additional mission, with walls of the police station having mural paintings of the national animal, forest and other wildlife, depicting a message to save them.On July 12, senior officials, including Mandla superintendent of police Rakesh Kumar and tiger reserve director Sanjay Shukla, inaugurated the renovated police station building on July 12.Rakesh Kumar says the police station comes under the buffer zone. “We wanted to convert this police station into a human-friendly one that connects easily with its surroundings,” he said.Mural paintings of tigers on the police station wallsLocal hotel owners have extended their support to the Khatia police in their noble initiative. "If a complainant or visitor coming to police station sees the messages and paintings on the walls, it would solve the purpose of the mission," said a hotelier.Shukla said that it was a good initiative. The responsibility of police is varied in the area. Police managing tourists and spreading message to save tigers was something unique and probably the first of its kind, Shukla said.It was the Khatia police station in-charge Satish Patel who came up with the idea to convert the police station into a building that gives message to save the big cats.“I wanted to give a message that police are also contributing their part in spreading the message to save wildlife. It also helped win confidence of local people and visitors by telling them that policemen are people among them; are giving a message that cops are sensitive and take care of nature as well as animals, and not just deal with criminals,” Patel said.Paintings of forest with the message of 'Save environment'It took around six months for the cops to come up with the mural paintings of tiger and jungle on its building. This has turned Khatia police station into a centre of attraction for visitors.There are around 80 tigers in the Kanha Tiger Reserve, spreads over an area of 940 sq km.

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