India, Dec. 15 -- Some assignments are routine. Others linger long after you leave the room. My recent visit to Panchkula to witness the Haryana director general of police OP Singh's daily public redress session belonged firmly to the latter.

Every afternoon, Singh sits before a packed hall where survivors of crime, elderly parents abandoned by their children, young men alleging false implication, and families awaiting closure after fatal accidents gather from across Haryana. Many travel overnight, arriving exhausted but hopeful, because this session is their last resort.

To those present, Singh was more than the state's top police officer. Several referred to him as a saviour, a protector, even an angel. "He is the only one who lets us...