Guwahati, Sept 8: In Panbazar, the fragrance of books has long been part of the neighbourhood’s character. Now, that familiar association has found an unusual, new home inside the Panbazar police station.

Amid the bustle of one of Guwahati’s busiest localities, the police station has set up a library that seeks to bring policing and learning under one roof. Here, alongside the daily work of investigating crimes and maintaining law and order, police personnel and members of the public can spend time reading and exploring books.

“It currently houses more than 700 books, with plans to expand the collection to over 1,500,” said Panbazar police station Officer-in-Charge Shankar Jyoti Nath. Created through the collective efforts of the Panbazar police station, the station committee, local residents, booksellers’ associations, publishers and book traders, the project aims to create a more open space for interaction between the police and the community.

“We had been planning this for a long time. We felt it would be good to create an environment for reading and learning inside the police station,” Nath said.

The initiative, which took nearly two months of planning and works, was formally inaugurated by Guwahati Police Commissioner Parthasarathi Mahanta on August 30. According to Nath, Panbazar is particularly suited for such an initiative because of its longstanding association with books and learning.

“In building this environment, the help of local citizens, the police committee, book publishers and sellers has been extensive. Everyone has contributed in whichever way they could,” he said.

The shelves cater to a wide range of readers, with books on the history of Assam, India and the world, the tea industry, tribes and communities of the Northeast, religion and general knowledge. The library opens a new chapter in the police-public connection (AT Image) There is also a focus on students and those preparing for competitive examinations such as the APSC and UPSC.

For many students in Guwahati, finding a quiet and affordable place to study can itself be a challenge. Nath said the library hopes to offer an alternative.

Students preparing for competitive examinations can bring their own study materials and use the space free of cost. The library is planned to remain open round the clock, making it accessible to students who may need a place to study beyond conventional library hours.