Kerala Transfers 30 IPS Officers in Major Police Reshuffle
P Vijayan Appointed ADGP Law & Order as State Begins Wide-Ranging Administrative Overhaul
- Kerala government transfers 30 senior IPS officers across key positions.
- P Vijayan appointed as new ADGP (Law and Order).
- Harshita Attaluri named IG, Police Headquarters.
- Reshuffle follows recent transfer of 47 IAS officers.
GG News Bureau
Thiruvananthapuram, 12th June: Days after carrying out one of its biggest IAS reshuffles in recent years, the Kerala government on Thursday transferred 30 senior IPS officers, triggering a major reorganisation of the state police hierarchy ahead of an ambitious police modernisation and reform programme.
The most significant appointment in the reshuffle is that of 1999-batch IPS officer P. Vijayan as the new Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), one of the most influential posts in the Kerala Police.
Vijayan had earlier faced suspension during the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government but was later reinstated and subsequently promoted. He had also received national recognition after Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised his efforts to promote responsible pilgrimage practices at Sabarimala during an episode of Mann Ki Baat.
Senior IPS officer H. Venkatesh will continue as Crime Branch Chief but has been relieved of the additional responsibility of ADGP (Law and Order). Venkatesh had also been heading the Special Investigation Team probing the high-profile Sabarimala gold theft case.
The government appointed Dinesh Kashyap as the new Intelligence Chief, while senior officer S. Sreejith has been posted as the state’s Prisons Chief.
Former TP Chandrasekharan murder case investigator Shoukath Ali has been appointed Kozhikode City Police Commissioner.
A notable feature of the reshuffle is the assignment of key responsibilities to women officers. Harshita Attaluri has been appointed Inspector General, Police Headquarters. She was previously overseeing traffic management in the state.
Another senior woman officer, Nishanthini, has been posted to an important role within the Intelligence wing.
Among other major appointments, Shyam Sundar has been named IG, Crime Branch, while Balram Kumar Upadhyay has taken charge as ADGP, Armed Battalions.
At the field level, Arul B. Krishna has been appointed Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner. Merin Joseph will serve as Kozhikode Rural Police Chief.
K. Karthik has been posted as Thrissur Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG), T. Narayanan as Kannur Range DIG and Yathish Chandra as Ernakulam Range DIG.
The extensive reshuffle comes shortly after the Kerala government transferred and reassigned 47 IAS officers, indicating a broader administrative restructuring across the state’s bureaucracy.
The changes are expected to play a key role in implementing the police transformation programme envisioned by Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, with a focus on strengthening law enforcement, intelligence gathering, investigations and public service delivery.
