The Kerala government has initiated the process of selecting a successor for the incumbent state police chief, Mr. Shaik Darvesh Saheb (1990-batch IPS officer), who is set to retire on June 30. As the first step, the government has approached six senior IPS officers who have completed 30 years of service, requesting their willingness and resumes to be considered for inclusion in the list of potential candidates to be forwarded to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
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The officers who have been contacted include DGPs Mr. Nitin Agrawal, Mr. Ravada A. Chandrasekhar, and Mr. Yogesh Gupta, along with ADGPs Mr. Manoj Abraham, Mr. S. Suresh, and Mr. M.R. Ajith Kumar.
Among the probables, Mr. Nitin Agrawal, a 1990-batch IPS officer, is the seniormost. He previously served as the Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF) before being repatriated to the state. Upon his return, he was appointed Kerala Road Safety Commissioner. He is set to retire in June 2026.
Mr. Ravada A. Chandrasekhar, from the 1991 IPS batch, currently serves as the Special Director with the Intelligence Bureau (IB). He will retire by June next year.
Mr. Yogesh Gupta, a 1993-batch IPS officer, is currently the Director of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, with his tenure extending until 2030.
Mr. Manoj Abraham, a 1994-batch officer, is the current ADGP of Law and Order, and his service is expected to continue until 2031.
Mr. S. Suresh, also of the 1995 IPS batch, is currently an Additional Director with the Special Protection Group (SPG), which provides security to the Prime Minister.
Mr. M.R. Ajith Kumar, a 1995-batch officer, serves as the ADGP of the Armed Police Battalion, and his tenure will end on December 31, 2028.
While all six officers are considered for the top position, there is some uncertainty regarding Mr. Ravada and Mr. Suresh, as they are currently serving in prominent organizations like the IB and SPG. It remains to be seen whether they would be willing to consider the role of state police chief.
Sources indicate that the Kerala government is expected to send the list of potential candidates to the UPSC by April. The UPSC will then select three candidates from the list and forward them to the state government, which will ultimately choose the new police chief from the shortlisted candidates.
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