Comment Pieces

Interchanging Meanings

“The officer asked me whether I wanted to contribute something so that the police would search my lost items quicker… we had to borrow Rs.2000/- from a friend and give it to the officer. And interestingly, they still did not investigate the case.”

Meaning of the word Thief: n /THēf/ A person who steals another person's property, esp. by stealth and without using force or violence.

Synonyms: bandit, burglar, robber, cheat

Meaning of the word Police: n /pəˈliːs/  The civil force of a federal or local government, responsible for the prevention and detection of crime and the maintenance of public order.

Synonyms: lawman, scout, cop, gendarme

Meaning of the word Police in the Indian context: A policeman who is responsible for the prevention and detection of crime but indulges in stealing (rather extorting) another person’s property by using minimal force such as refusal to carry out their duty.

Synonyms: Refer to the first word 

Source: Merriam Webster Online Dictionary