Thiruvananthapuram: In the first major reshuffle of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers since the United Democratic Front (UDF) government assumed office, the Kerala government on Wednesday transferred and reassigned 30 IPS officers across key positions in the state police hierarchy.
The large-scale exercise has resulted in significant changes at the levels of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Inspector General of Police (IG), Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Commissioners of Police, and District Police Chiefs. Several strategic wings, including Law and Order, Intelligence, Crime Branch, Armed Police Battalions, and Cyber Operations, have received new leadership.
The reshuffle is being viewed as an important move by the new government to realign the state’s policing structure and strengthen law enforcement administration.
Major Changes at ADGP Level
Among the most significant changes, S. Sreejith, who was serving as ADGP (Headquarters), has been appointed as ADGP (Prisons).
Balram Kumar Upadhyay, who was heading the Prisons Department as Director General, has been posted as ADGP (Armed Police Battalions).
ADGP H. Venkatesh, who handled the crucial Law and Order portfolio, has been transferred as ADGP of the Crime Branch.
Dinendra Kashyap has moved from Armed Police Battalions to head the Intelligence Wing, taking charge as ADGP (Intelligence).
One of the most notable appointments is that of senior IPS officer P. Vijayan, who has been transferred from the Intelligence Wing and appointed as ADGP (Law and Order). He has also been entrusted with the full additional charge of ADGP (Cyber Operations), making him one of the most influential officers in the state’s policing framework.
Key IG-Level Transfers
At the Inspector General level, Harshita Attaluri, who was serving as IG (Traffic), has been appointed IG (Headquarters).
S. Syamsundar, who was heading Intelligence as IG, has been transferred to the Crime Branch as IG.
R. Nishanthini has been shifted from Headquarters to the Intelligence Wing, further strengthening the department’s leadership structure.
Changes in DIG and Commissioner Posts
Several important transfers have also been effected at the DIG level.
- Yathish Chandra G.H. has been transferred from Kannur and posted as DIG, Ernakulam.
- K. Karthick, who was serving as Commissioner of Police, Thiruvananthapuram City, has been appointed DIG, Thrissur Range.
- Narayanan T. has been shifted from Thrissur to Kannur as DIG.
- Arul R.B. Krishna, who was serving as DIG, Ernakulam, has been appointed Commissioner of Police, Thiruvananthapuram City.
The appointment of Arul Krishna to the state capital’s police commissionerate is being seen as one of the key decisions in the reshuffle.
Major Changes in Kozhikode and District Police Leadership
Merin Joseph, Commissioner of Police, Kozhikode City, has been transferred and posted as District Police Chief of Kozhikode Rural.
Shoukathali A.P., who was serving as Crime Branch Superintendent of Police in Alappuzha, has been appointed Commissioner of Police, Kozhikode City.
Prasanthan Kani B.K., Chief Vigilance Officer of Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), has been posted as District Police Chief of Thiruvananthapuram Rural.
District Police Chiefs Get New Assignments
The reshuffle has brought changes in leadership across several districts.
- Sabu Mathew K.M. has been transferred from Idukki and posted as District Police Chief, Kottayam.
- Shaji Sugunan, who was serving with the Kerala Women’s Commission, has been appointed District Police Chief, Kollam Rural.
- Vishnu Pratheep T.K. has been posted as District Police Chief, Alappuzha.
- Abdul Rashi A. has been appointed District Police Chief, Palakkad.
- S. Deva Manohar, Additional Excise Commissioner (Enforcement), has been posted as District Police Chief, Wayanad.
- Nidhinraj P., who served as Commissioner of Police, Kannur City, has been appointed District Police Chief, Kasaragod.
- B.V. Vijaya Bharath Reddy has been posted as Commissioner of Police, Kannur City.
- Mohammad Nadeemuddin has been appointed District Police Chief, Thrissur Rural.
- Umesh Goyal has been posted as District Police Chief, Kannur Rural.
- Nasim A. has been appointed District Police Chief, Idukki.
New Specialized Postings
Several officers have also been assigned specialized roles within the police organization.
B. Krishna Kumar has been posted as Superintendent of Police (Railways).
Anuj Paliwal has been appointed Assistant Inspector General (Law and Order), Police Headquarters, in a newly created ex-cadre post.
Farash T. has been posted as Assistant Inspector General, Ernakulam Coastal Police.
Mohanachandran Nair M.P., who served as District Police Chief of Alappuzha, has been transferred as Crime Branch Superintendent of Police for Kozhikode-Wayanad.
C.S. Shahul Hameed has been appointed Superintendent of Police, Central Unit-I, Crime Branch, Thiruvananthapuram.
Strategic Realignment Under New Government
The reshuffle marks the first major reorganization of Kerala’s senior police leadership since the UDF government assumed office. The transfers affect nearly every major operational wing of the state police, including Intelligence, Law and Order, Crime Branch, Cyber Operations, Armed Police Battalions, Commissionerates, and district policing.
Administrative observers believe the exercise is aimed at strengthening policing efficiency, improving coordination among various wings, and aligning the police administration with the priorities of the new government.
With several experienced officers taking charge of critical assignments, the reshuffle is expected to shape Kerala’s law enforcement strategy in the coming months.
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