Double trouble: Identical twins turn cops, arrest Pune attention

Rohini and Mohini Sonar are identical twins who are currently posted as sub-inspectors at the Bund Garden police station in Pune.

Born on May 3, 1982, the 25-year-olds graduated in English literature from Nashik. While in the first year of their post-graduation course, they appeared for the Maharashtra Public Service Commission examination. Clearing the examination with almost identical marks, they joined the Maharashtra Police Academy, Nashik in 2005 from where they graduated last September.

Since both were given Pune as their first posting, they requested they be allotted the same police station. The authorities agreed and the sisters are now at the Bund Garden police station.

Father Vijay Dattatray Sonar is also a police inspector, currently posted in Mumbai. “We were both inspired by our father to join the police service. He is the winner of the President’s medal for meritorious service,” said Mohini, more of an extrovert than Rohini, her elder because of the five second gap between their births. Both have the same height — 159 cm.

“The uniforms make it just a little more difficult to differentiate between us. Often our superiors give a task to one and ask the other about the progress. Many a time one of us may have confiscated an errant driver’s licence, but the other is sought out at the station and asked to return it,” said Rohini.

The sisters hope to rise up the ranks in the department. “You have to devote yourself entirely to this career. It’s a 9 am to 9 pm job and there’s very little time left for your own selves. But we really like being in the police force,” said Mohini.

According to Mahendra Pardeshi, their colleague at the Bund Garden police station, the sisters are hard working and perform well in their duties. He says he doesn’t confuse one for the other. “We are the police. If we have trouble identifying them, it’s really bad news for everyone,” he smiles.