The restive Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, which has seen a rise in Maoist insurgency, on Saturday got a full-time police chief with the appointment of senior IPS officer Mr. Vivekananda Sinha as the Inspector General of Police of the Bastar range.
The post of Bastar IG has been vacant after controversial former Bastar IG Shiv Ram Prasad Kalluri was shifted out in February.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Dantewada range P. Sundar Raj was given an additional charge of Bastar range. However, the killing of 12 CRPF men in Sukma district last month fuelled the demand for a full-time IG in the region.
An IPS officer of 1996 batch, Mr. Sinha is currently posted as IG Bilaspur range.
New team in place
With the transfer of Mr. Sinha to Bastar, the conflict-hit region will have almost a new team of IPS officers. Following the transfer of Mr. Kalluri, his subordinate officers including Bastar Superintendent of Police R.N. Dash, Sukma SP Kalyaan Elesela were also removed from Bastar.
Mr. Sinha was in-charge of Bastar range for a few months last year when Mr. Kalluri went on medical leave.
Speculation scotched
The transfer of Mr. Sinha has also quelled speculations about the possible return of Mr. Kalluri. The former IG’s supporters have been running a campaign alleging that the Maoists were getting an upper hand in southern Chhattisgarh following his departure.
The controversial officer visited Bastar last week to attend closed-door meetings with anti-Maoist groups at the Jagdalpur district headquarters.
