Karnataka is preparing to appoint a new Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP) with the retirement of the incumbent police chief, Mr. Alok Mohan, a 1987-batch IPS officer, who will step down from the post on May 21, 2025.
Although Mr. Mohan was originally due to retire on April 30, the state government extended his tenure by three weeks to May 21 to ensure completion of the mandatory two-year term as DG&IGP, in line with the Supreme Court’s directives in the 2006 Prakash Singh judgment. He had taken over as Karnataka’s police chief on May 21, 2023.
Amid speculation, two names have emerged as the frontrunners for the top police position — Mr. Prashant Kumar Thakur, a 1992-batch IPS officer currently serving as DGP, Fire and Emergency Services, and Mr. M A Saleem, a 1993-batch IPS officer presently heading the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Two other senior officers — Mr. Ramchandra Rao and Ms. Malini Krishnamurthy, both from the 1993 batch — are not in the race. Mr. Rao has been placed under compulsory leave following his alleged involvement in the Ranya Rao smuggling case, while Ms. Krishnamurthy is set to retire in July, making her ineligible for the post.
With only Mr. Thakur and Mr. Saleem remaining in contention, the decision is now seen to hinge on whether seniority or political preference will guide the state government’s choice. While Mr. Thakur has the edge in seniority, political circles suggest that Mr. Saleem may be favoured, potentially making him the first Kannada-speaking officer in several decades to lead the Karnataka Police force.
