ṭhullā ठुल्ला
The derogatory epithet ṭhullā for police commonly used in Delhi and adjoining areas has its origins in a late 19th century argot spoken by Punjabi Gamblers who used it for a police inspector. The word is related to Sanskrit स्थूल sthūla (large, stout). 1/2
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Replies
Perhaps this sense of Police officer with ṭhullā came from a gypsy language. The word has cognates in several Indo-Aryan languages where it can convey the sense of big, important or chief. For example in Nepali ठुलो ṭhulo (large, chief), Mewati - ṭhullā (police constable). 2/2
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@avtansa
In Garhwali, Uttarakhand ठुल्ला means बड़ा which opposite of छुट्टा means छोटा commonly used for siblings.
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@avtansa
This is absolutely fascinating. I remember meaning to check up the etymology when the Delhi Chief Minister was pulled up by the High Court for employing it for a policeman and asked him to explain the meaning as the learned judge could not find it in any dictionaries.
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