On March 27, 2017, Inspector Reddy reported to the police station earlier than usual and stood behind a table stacked with papers. Class 10 board exams were underway and his police station was tasked with the bandobast in Kalwakurthy, a town about 80 kilometres from Hyderabad in Telangana. His constables had to ensure that all photocopy stores within a 100-metre radius of the five exam centres were shut and that no shopping complexes opened until the exams concluded. Reddy was patrolling in