CHENNAI: In a late-night development, the State government announced the appointment of Letika Saran, IPS, as the new Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu, replacing K P Jain, who has gone on long leave.
The move comes a day after a gang hacked to death a sub-inspector attached to the Alwarkurichi police station in Tirunelveli district in broad daylight in the presence of two Ministers.
A press release issued by the principal secretary on Friday said Letika Saran, DGP, Training, Chennai, was being transferred and posted as DGP, Tamil Nadu, in place of K P Jain.
Jain told Express that he was going on leave from January 14 to April 29. He is due to retire on April 30.
“I sought leave and got it,” he said, when asked for the reason behind his decision.
Asked whether it should be construed as ‘protest leave,’ he said, “I am very happily and willingly going.” Jain, who belongs to the 1971 IPS batch, took charge as DGP on March 31, 2008.
His successor, Letika Saran, is an officer of the 1976 IPS batch.
Born on March 31, 1952, she is a native of Idukki district in Kerala. She was appointed Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai, in April 2006, the only woman to head a metropolitan police organisation in India. In September 2009, she became the first woman to be promoted to the rank of DGP.