Thiruvananthapuram: Major shuffle in police top brass

Thiruvananthapuram: In a major shuffle in the police department on Thursday, Mr Tomin Thachankary was posted as ADGP headquarters replacing Mr Anil Kant, who was posted as ADGP (Vigilance).

Five IPS officers at the police headquarters were also shifted raising many eyebrows as it came when the Supreme Court was scheduled to consider a contempt plea filed by Mr T.P. Senkumar over the delay in executing the court order to reinstate him as state police chief.

Moreover, Mr Thachankary, who was holding the post of ADGP Coastal Police, even faced corruption cases. While Mr Balram Kumar Updhyaya was posted as DIG headquarters, AIG (coastal security) Hari Sankar was posted as additional AIG in police headquarters. DIG (administration) Shefeen Ahammed was shifted as DIG (armed police battalions). SP (headquarters) Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar was posted as SP railway police and AIG (headquarters) Mohammed Shabeer was transferred to the post of SP Crime Branch in Thiruvananthapuram.

Ernakulam range IG P. Vijayan was given the additional charge of IG Coastal Police. Mr Balram Kumar will also continue to hold the additional charge of Kerala Police Housing Construction Corporation.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the State Security Commission headed by the Chief Minister that was scheduled to be held on Thursday was postponed indefinitely.
Sources said that state police chief was a member of the commission and the participation of Mr Loknath Behera in the meeting, while the SC order to reinstate T.P. Senkumar as state police chief was pending, may invite legal issues.

Hence, the meeting was postponed at  the last minute. A judicial officer is also a member of the commission empowered to take policy decisions on policing.