THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day of IPS officer Anil Kant normally starts with an hour-long run at Chandrasekharan Nair stadium. Like any other long-distance runner, he starts slow, increases the pace gradually and take the winning leap in the last lap.
It was exactly the same manner that he fared in the race for State Police Chief too. The introvert Delhi-native who doesn’t have many friends in the force came to the three-member shortlist of the UPSC last minute as the panel decided to strike off the name of senior officer Tomin Thachankary. In the list too, he was the one who had the minimum odds.
Vigilance director Sudesh Kumar had the advantage of being the senior-most officer while Fire and Rescue Services director B Sandhya had a chance to script history by becoming the first woman chief of state police. Kant, who as ADGP had been the road safety commissioner, didn’t even move any card himself.
When Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared his choice for the State Police Chief at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning, he was also making it clear that he heeded the suggestion of senior officers in the force more than any other forms of lobbying. According to sources, outgoing DGP Loknath Behera and a few senior officers conveyed their support to Kant when Pinarayi had sought their opinion.
The 1988-batch officer is set to superannuate in January 2022. As per the Supreme Court order, the tenure of the incumbent state police chief can be extended to two years, but, the government has the liberty to let him retire too. In that case, Kant who also holds the distinction of becoming the first police chief from the scheduled caste community will have to retire with a seven month tenure in office.
Safety of women and children prime concern, says new state police chief
Upon his selection, Kant told reporters that safety of women and children is his immediate concern. With the state witnessing a spate in violence against women and children, it should be seen what meaningful steps he would be taking to address the issue. He will also have to address the threats posed by extremism and continue the modernisation work that former chief Loknath Behera had initiated. A former colleague, who preferred to remain incognito, said the officers could now get more operational freedom as Anil Kant never interfered in the day-to-day works of the subordinates.
“He works silently and away from the limelight. Rarely he interferes in the work of his subordinates and gives them freedom,” he said. A former colleague in VACB remembered him as a soft-spoken officer, who did his work without trumpeting it. “He was responsible for launching a lot of anti-corruption drives. It was under him that PWD roads were subjected to quality checks. Many irregularities were unearthed during the raids in the Geology and Mining Department, Beverages Corporation and the Motor Vehicles Department and these raids were initiated by Kant.
”However, it’s to be seen how he handles the political pressure that usually accompanies a police chief. His predecessor Loknath Behera had a pleasant ride as he seldom put him in collision course with the government, though there were ample chances for that in his five-year long tenure. Besides, his administrative skills and abilities to do file-works are yet untested.
Kant will now be elevated to DGP grade that arises with the retirement of Behera. On Wednesday evening, he took charge from Behera at the police headquarters. Kant started his career as ASP, Wayanad. Except while serving a term in the Intelligence Bureau on deputation, Kant had been working in the Kerala cadre. He had also served as fire force director general, prisons director general, State Crime Records Bureau Chief and Crime Branch ADGP. He lives in the city with wife Preetha Harit.
SANDHYA, SUDESH KUMAR SKIP CEREMONY
T’Puram: Outgoing state police chief Loknath Behera passed on the baton to Anil Kant at the police headquarters here on Wednesday evening. Senior officers Sudesh Kumar and B Sandhya, who were the other candidates for the police chief’s post, were conspicuous by their absence.
Earlier the day, a farewell parade ceremony was accorded to Behera at the SAP Camp ground which was attended by the senior officers. In his speech, Behera highlighted the emotional connection he had forged over the time with the state and said he received support from all the side while carrying out his duty.