Bengaluru: On the first day of the New Year, Bengaluru will not only get a new commissioner of police — Praveen Sood will be replacing N.S. Megharikh on Sunday afternoon — it will also see a major shuffle in the top echelons of the force. This includes additional commissioners, inspector general of police and ADGPs.
R.P. Sharma, ADGP, Communication, Logistics and Modernisation has been given the position of Managing Director, Karnataka Handicrafts Development Corporation. M.A. Saleem, IGP, ACB Bengaluru has been transferred to Davangere as IGP, Eastern Range. Sandeep Patil, DCP Central Division, Bengaluru will now be Superintendent of Police (Intelligence) Bengaluru while N. Satheesh Kumar, DCP East, Bengaluru has been posted as DIG, Intelligence, Bengaluru.
Many officers claim that these are routine transfers, but sources claim that the government was unhappy with the law and order situation in the city in 2016. They claim that the transfers are the result of the violence during the dispute over sharing Cauvery water, protests by the ABVP, the garment workers’ strike and other incidents of failure of law and order.
City police chief says...
“I had a satisfying and fulfilling experience as the Bengaluru commissioner of police. The officer replacing me is also very competent,” said N.S. Megharikh, who became city commissioner in July 2015, and will now be heading the Anti Corruption Bureau.
Mr. Sood is no stranger to the city. He served as Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) between 2008 and 2011. “He was instrumental in establishing an advanced Traffic Management Centre in Bengaluru,” said a police officer.
Sources in the police believe that the transition will be smooth given Mr. Sood’s familiarity with the city.
Know your new CoP
* Born in 1964, Praveen Sood is a graduate of IIT Delhi. He joined the Indian Police Service in 1986. He started his career as Assistant Superintendent of Police of Mysuru in 1989.
* Subsequently, he served as Superintendent of Police of Ballari and Raichur, and as Deputy Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, Bengaluru.
* For three years since 1999, he was on deputation as police advisor to the Government of Mauritius where he also got an insight into the functioning of the European and American police forces.
* He took a sabbatical to pursue a Post Graduation in Public Policy and Management course.
* Served as Commissioner of Police of Mysuru from 2004 to 2007.
* Was the additional commissioner of police of Traffic, Bengaluru from 2008 to February 2011.
