Bhubaneswar: A splash of flaming red hair has put an Odisha police officer in the crosshairs of his bosses. DSP Rashmi Ranjan Das, 49, known as a scourge of the underworld, has been ordered to immediately ditch his flamboyant hair colour after photographs of him in uniform went viral and triggered a storm of memes, mockery and debate online.Das is posted in Jagatsinghpur district, about 60km east of Bhubaneswar. The red hair, which he has been sporting for some time, drew sudden attention Wednesday when images spread rapidly across social media platforms.By Thursday, police headquarters stepped in. IG (central range) Satyajit Naik issued a formal warning, directing Das to revert to his natural hair. “One in the police force should respect the uniform and accord utmost priority to discipline and public decorum,” Naik said, adding he acted as soon as the matter came to his notice.Online critics were unforgiving. One widely shared post asked whether such “an awful hair colour and look” suited a uniformed officer. “One can gauge this officer’s professionalism … from his hair colour,” it said. Others said a flashy appearance diluted the authority and seriousness the uniform represents.On the ground in Jagatsinghpur, opinion split sharply. Residents defended the officer’s record. “He is a terror for criminals,” said Prabodh Pradhan, a resident. “Someone’s efficiency should not be judged from his or her hairstyle.” Police sources said Das, now posted with the human rights protection cell, had ignored informal advice to tone it down. “We often advised him to dye his hair black, which is acceptable and appropriate. But he ignored our advice,” a colleague said.Retired cop SN Swain said the police manual does not spell out hairstyles, but expects simplicity. Das declined comments. The message from the top was unmistakable: in khaki, there is little tolerance for a hair out of place.
