LDF govt re-appoints Loknath Behera as Kerala Police chief

Thiruvananthapuram: Senior IPS officer Loknath Behera will become Kerala Police chief again after a gap of nearly two months as he was on Wednesday named by the LDF government to succeed T P Senkumar, who is retiring on June 30.

Senkumar had replaced Behera on May 6 as Director General of Police (Law and Order) after a successful 11-month-long legal battle in the Supreme Court against the LDF government which had unceremoniously removed him from the post soon after coming to power last year.

The apex court had held that Senkumar was transferred by the LDF government "unfairly" and "arbitrarily" and ordered his reinstatement.

A state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today decided to re-appoint Behera, now serving as the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau Director, as the DGP (law and Order).

The appointment is based on the recommendations of a three-member panel, headed by Chief Secretary Nalini Netto and comprising Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and the Law Secretary, the Chief Minister's Office said in a statement.

Taking to reporters here, Behera, a 1985 batch IPS officer, said he was grateful to the government for the posting and would try to fulfil his responsibilities.