Shiv Ram Prasad Kalluri, Inspector-General of Police, Bastar Range, Chhattisgarh, was on Thursday asked to go on a “long medical leave.” According to sources in the Chhattisgarh police in Raipur, Mr. Kalluri may not return to his current post. He may be transferred to Raipur when he returns from medical leave.
Speculation about Mr. Kalluri’s transfer was triggered when the Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday posted senior IPS officer P. Sundar Raj as the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Dantewada Range, and included all districts of the Maoist-hit Bastar Range in the Dantewada Range.
“Mr. Kalluri had asked for medical leave and his leave was sanctioned today. P. Sundar Raj is a good officer and was working in ANO (anti-Naxal operations). Now he will be posted as DIG, Dantewada,” said D.M. Awasthi, Special Director-General of Police, ANO, Chhattisgarh.
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Chhattisgarh Home Minister Ramsevak Paikara, however, maintained that Mr. Kalluri would remain the Bastar IG.
Mr. Kalluri was posted as Bastar IG in July 2014. His tenure witnessed large-scale surrender of Maoists and encounter killings. But questions were raised about the ‘surrenders’ and ‘encounters’ as villagers from many districts of Bastar accused the police of faking them.
Last year, the security forces were accused of sexual violence against tribal women in Bijapur district. The National Human Rights Commission upheld the allegations last month. Mr. Kalluri’s tenure also saw the arrest of four journalists from Bastar. Tribal activist Soni Sori was attacked with an acid-like substance.
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A legal aid group of women lawyers and a woman journalist were evicted from Bastar last year. An FIR was filed against Delhi University professor Nandini Sundar and some communist leaders when Maoists killed a tribal man in Bastar.
According to sources in Raipur, the recent attack on the house of activist Bela Bhatia in Bastar and the NHRC order confirming the rape of Bijapur women made it difficult for the government to defend Mr. Kalluri.
‘Bela Bhatia wins’
Mr. Kalluri did not speak to reporters about his “long leave.” But he wrote on social media: “I am under orders to proceed on leave for an unspecified duration. I am grateful to everyone for the support extended to me.” In another post, he wrote: “Bela Bhatia wins. Going on long leave. Sorry for failing you.”