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Colourful lights line Serangoon Road, festive music fills the air and the scent of jasmine and sweets wafts through the streets. Deepavali is around the corner, and Little India is buzzing with excitement.
As shoppers and visitors prepare for the celebrations, Sergeant (Sgt) Sivaneswaran Nagulan is among the officers from Rochor Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC) patrolling the bustling streets to keep everyone safe.
Having joined Rochor NPC in early 2023, Sgt Siva has patrolled Little India during the Deepavali period for the past two years. His duties include managing crowds, keeping a lookout for safety and security concerns and sharing crime prevention advisories with stallholders and visitors.
A Festival Close to the Heart
Deepavali is a time for family prayers, lighting oil lamps and sharing festive treats such as murukku and sweets. These traditions are a familiar part of Sgt Siva’s own celebrations, making his patrols in Little India especially meaningful.
As he walks through the Deepavali Bazaar, he gets to experience the festivities from a unique perspective – watching families shop for festive essentials, children excitedly taking in the decorations and stallholders preparing for the festive crowds.
Even with the festive bustle, his priority remains ensuring that visitors can enjoy the celebrations safely. Through regular foot patrols, he keeps an eye on crowd movements and helps manage congestion, while staying alert for any safety concerns. This year, officers are also increasing anti-scam outreach efforts, taking the opportunity to share crime prevention advice and further engage with the community.
Beyond his policing responsibilities, it’s often the little moments during patrols that leave the biggest impressions.
Sgt Siva recalled an elderly woman who thanked officers for their presence and offered them sweets, sharing that she felt safer seeing them around. On another occasion, a child surprised him with a handmade Deepavali card – a small but heartwarming gesture that stayed with him.
“To see families celebrate safely because we are there – that’s pride that can’t be describe. It reminds me why I joined the force,” he shares.
Keeping the Festivities Safe
While visitors enjoy the celebrations, preparations to keep the area safe began well before the crowds arrived.
As the Lead Planner for Rochor NPC's Deepavali operations this year, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nur Fithriyaani Mohd Fuad works closely with the event organiser and community stakeholders to coordinate safety arrangements. Through these engagements, she gains a better understanding of their concerns and helps ensure that appropriate measures are in place for the annual Deepavali bazaar.
Beyond planning, ASP Fithri also leads the Ground Response Force Team B and joins her officers on patrol, where she has opportunities to connect with the stallholders and learn more about their experiences.
“Hearing their stories, concerns and wishes for the festive period is a memorable experience for me, as I get to meet so many people and learn many things about them and their culture,” ASP Fithri shared.
Although she doesn’t celebrate Deepavali, her involvement in the operations has given her a greater appreciation of the traditions that bring people together.
“No matter how technologically advanced or modernised our lives get, it seems like everyone still enjoys the simple pleasure of having good food and shopping for festive items together,” ASP Fithri reflected.
For Sgt Siva, being on duty during Deepavali carries a deeper personal significance.
“I’m not just policing a festival, I’m serving my own community during our most important celebration,” he shared.
