Shunted out Kerala Police chief vents his anger

Thiruvananthapuram, May 31 (IANS) Kerala Police chief T.P. Sen Kumar, who was shunted out by the new Left Front government led by Chief mInister Pinarayi Vijayan in a high-level shake-up in the police force, on Tuesday publicly expressed his resentment over the move.

Speaking to reporters at the state police headquarters soon after the ceremonial send-off guard of honour, Sen Kumar said: "If they did not want me, I could have been informed."

Chief Minister Vijayan signed the order replacing Sen Kumar with Loknath Behra, at present in charge of the state Fire Force, late Monday night soon after he touched down from Delhi.

"My transfer is in violation of the Kerala Police Act. I know that the government can post any officer, but in any case, I am Sen Kumar and Sen Kumar cannot become Loknath Behra; and the new government wants Behra and not me," said a bitter Kumar.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday morning, Sen Kumar said, "During the last 35 years I have always kept honesty, integrity and justice and a special care for the downtrodden. I still have all my vertebras intact. I have never appeased anybody for any posting. I have always tried to be impartial and fair."

Sen Kumar was appointed by former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and had almost a year left of his tenure when he was removed from the post of the Director General of Police, Law and Order. He has been given the new post of Chairman and Managing Director of the Kerala Police Construction Corporation.

Meanwhile, Behra told reporters that he is happy with the new post and has got a few ideas to strengthen the police force.

Joining issue was Leader of Opposition and former state Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala who said that Sen Kumar was an exemplary official and that the Congress-led United Democratic Front when in power did not remove the top police officials who had been appointed by the V.S. Achuthanandan government.