Kotwal
Topic: The Mughal Empire: Babur to Aurangzeb · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
A kotwal was the officer in charge of a town in Mughal India. He was the town's police chief. He organised the night watch, kept an eye on markets and prices, and kept records of residents and travellers. He also dealt with thieves and settled small disputes. The office lasted long after the Mughals, and the word survives in the 'kotwali', the name for a town police station in parts of India today.
Example
In Mughal cities such as Agra and Delhi, the kotwal checked shopkeepers' weights and prices and posted watchmen in each quarter at night.
Don't confuse with
- Faujdar: the faujdar commanded troops over a whole district (sarkar). The kotwal looked after order inside a town.
- Muhtasib: the muhtasib enforced public morals and Islamic law. The kotwal's job was policing and civic order.