In India, a chief or supervisor of a fort, city, or administrative district during the Mughal and British colonial periods.
From Hindi/Urdu 'katwal' or 'kotwali', derived from Persian 'kot' (fort) + 'wal' (keeper). The term emerged in South Asian administrative systems under Mughal rule.
Cutwals were colonial-era power brokers who controlled everything from taxation to law enforcement in their districts, making them both feared administrators and potential partners for colonial governments seeking local cooperation.
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