ARTICLE ABOUT PRASHANT http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=23&theme= &usrsess=1&id=158236 From the police barracks to Indian Idol Statesman News Service KOLKATA, June 3: The headquarters of Kolkata Police at Lalbazar and all the police stations in the city have been flooded with posters requesting the cops to vote for one of their colleagues who is participating in the Indian Idol 3. A constable of the seventh battalion of the Kolkata Police, Mr Prasant Tamang, is a vocalist in the city police’ band. He is now in Mumbai to compete in the Indian Idol competition. The 24-year-old youth is a resident of Darjeeling district. Joint commissioner of police (armed police) Mr Zulfikar Hassan said nearly 1,500 posters and a few hoarding had been circulated all around the city by Kolkata Police. The posters have been put up on the walls at the Kolkata Police head quarters, local police stations, bodyguard lines and all other establishments of the city police. Not a single paisa was, however, used from the Kolkata Police funds. The entire money was contributed by their colleagues. “The idea is to increase the chances of the constable who is competing in the Indian Idol. The city police has a 26,000-strong force and if each one of us votes for him through SMS, then he will be in an advantageous position. The rest will depend on his performance”. On Saturday, when Mr Tamang’s performance was aired on a television channel, his colleagues had a gala time watching his performance on a giant screen at the Body Guard lines at Alipore. A senior police officer said: “His performance was shown on a giant screen after a function which was organised for chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhttacharjee to inaugurate the seventh barrack building. Hundreds of policemen had gathered on the spot to cheer for their colleague who is now performing in the Indian Idol”. He also said that Mr Tamang was well-known for his talent among his colleagues but was not getting the encouragement to participate in big competitions. It was after the Indian Idol 2 that he showed interest in participating in the competition and was encouraged by his colleagues. The news soon reached the top brass of Kolkata Police (armed police) who made the necessary arrangements.