Dewas police under the leadership of SP Puneet Gehlot,a 2017 Batch Officer has set new benchmarks in road safety through a combination of behavioural policing, technology driven monitoring and swift policy execution.

Over the last 15 months, the district has undertaken sustained efforts aimed not merely at enforcement, but at preventing accidents and saving lives.Moving beyond conventional awareness campaigns, the district conducted over 30,000 Police Chaupals, interacting with more than 90,000 citizens on road safety, especially in rural areas where accident fatalities were found to be higher based on five-year data analysis.

One of the most significant interventions introduced by Dewas Police was treating every road fatality as a case study. Every accidental death spot was visited by an SDOP-rank officer who prepared a detailed report identifying factors such as road engineering defects, overspeeding, absence of signage or driver negligence.These reports included photographs and GPS coordinates and were immediately shared in a dedicated WhatsApp group comprising the District Magistrate,SP, SHOs and officials of agencies such as PWD, NHAI and MPRDC to ensure quick rectification and accountability.

To make people more careful on roads, police also put up warning boards at accident-prone spots with messages written in local language and linked to the specific accident that happened there. Damaged vehicles were also placed along roads to create awareness and encourage safer driving. CCTV cameras were installed at black spots and connected directly to police stations so that accidents could be spotted quickly and rescue teams could reach on time, especially in areas where poor mobile network often delays information. For Police personnel reflector jackets were made mandatory at check post as they are also vulnerable to accidents.

The district also adopted a community based approach.Whenever a road fatality occurred, police teams visited the victim’s native village to counsel residents and distribute helmets using the emotional impact of the incident to promote safer riding habits.

Alongside preventive measures, the district ensured effective implementation of welfare schemes. Under the PM-RAAHAT scheme, over 150 accident victims received cashless treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh in the last two months alone. Under the RAAH-Veer scheme, 15 Good Samaritans were identified for rewards, with three already receiving ₹25,000 each for assisting accident victims.

The efforts have resulted in 18 percent reduction in total accidents and a 25 percent decline in road deaths during the first four months of 2026 .Additionally Dewas also ranked first in Madhya Pradesh in implementation of the Hit and Run compensation scheme, facilitating compensation worth ₹61 lakh for 68 victims and families.