The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has dealt another body blow to the already depleted Delhi Police by ordering the transfers of 14 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers holding key posts in districts and other units.
The MHA’s move to send these officers of Arunachal, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) to different States has not surprised those in the force, but lack of replacements will be having a bearing on policing in the National Capital. Delhi Police is already faced with the paucity of officers at Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) level and the transfer of these IPS officers without suitable replacements will hamper policing at a time when Delhi Assembly elections are slated to be held in November next.
Those transferred on MHA's Monday orders include Ajay Chaudhary, the Additional CP, South east, Vinay Vikram Chaudhary, the Additional CP, North east district. Dhiraj Kumar the Additional DCP of North east district, too, has been ordered to pack his bags. Transfer of Chaudhary and Kumar means that the Police Commissioner of Delhi will find it difficult to fill the vacant slots in this communally sensitive district. The two replacements Atul Katiyar of 1997 batch and Gyan Sambandhan of the 2005 batch are too inadequate since Ajay Chaduhary, the 1996 batch IPS and the head of South east district, has been transferred to Arunachal Pradesh along with Additional CP of North East and Additional DCP of North east to Arunachal Pradesh.
In another significant order that may affect the district level policing is the transfer of Devender Arya, the Additional DCP of West district. Arya's wife Vijayant Arya, Additional DCP, too, has been asked to report to Arunachal Pradesh. Similarly, DCP Traffic (head quarters) AK Singh and DCP, Southern Range Prem Nath, too, have been transferred out. AK Singh will have to report to Mizoram while Prem Nath will go to Arunachal Pradesh. KK Vyas, the DCP, Police Head Quarters has been asked to proceed to Goa while Rajiv Ranjan, the DCP Security has been sent to Mizoram.
Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal the 1997 batch IPS officer whose tenure as DCP South district is remembered will now get his stint with the Delhi Police. Dhaliwal was transferred to Delhi few months back but could not be relieved as MHA did not send his replacement to Arunchal Pradesh. Singh Ajay Chaudhary and Vinay Vikram Chaudhary who have been transferred to Arunachal Pradesh are Deputy Inspector General (DIG) level officers, Dhaliwal will soon be with Delhi Police. Alok Kumar, 1996 batch IPS officer and currently posted in Chandigarh as DIG, too, has been asked to report to Arunachal Pradesh.
What is baffling is the fact that the MHA has been too concerned about Arunachal Pradesh where crime rate is very low and a police station there registers around 30 First Information Reports (FIRs) in a year. Delhi needed more middle level IPS officers post the December 16 gang-rape, but there has been an exodus of officers (courtesy MHA) who really matter in district level policing.
It remains to be seen how Delhi Police top brass manage districts without officers. This will be really a tough call for the new Delhi Police Chief who will take the charge on the last day of this month after the superannuation of Neeraj Kumar.
