BENGALURU: Bengaluru city is likely to get a new police commissioner soon, and names of two 1994-batch IPS officers are doing the rounds. Alok Kumar, who had served as police commissioner for just 47 days, might be reinstated, while B Dayananda, currently posted as Director, State Intelligence, is also in the race.
With assembly elections just a few months away, Alok Kumar’s name is being considered as he is known for tough policing. During his short stint, he had left a mark in the city, and put the entire city police on high alert with surprise visits to police stations. Dayananda, who is from Ranebennur in Karnataka, has an edge as he is from the state, and his name was almost finalised for the top cop’s post on December 31, the day promotions and transfers of IPS officers are announced.
The others in the running are 1995-batch IPS officer Umesh Kumar, CH Pratap Reddy (1991 batch), who is posted as ADGP, Law and Order. He was handpicked by the home minister to investigate the sensational Mysuru student’s gangrape case.
Alok Kumar was police commissioner during the Congress-JDS government, and was chosen by former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy for the coveted post. He was moved out after the BJP government came to power.
B Dayananda also has experience working in Bengaluru -- he was joint commissioner of police (crime) and also headed the city’s traffic department. Umesh Kumar is from Patna in Bihar. Police Commissioner Kamal Pant, who was promoted as Director General of Police (DGP) in April last year, has been holding the post since August 2020.