The Hindu : R. Rajagopalan becomes DGP again

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 07, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

R. Rajagopalan becomes DGP again

By K.T. Sangameswaran

R. Rajagopalan

B. P. Nailwal

CHENNAI JAN. 6 . R. Rajagopalan, Chairman, Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board, today returned to the police headquarters, taking over as the Director-General again. He was replaced as DGP within a fortnight of the AIADMK coming to power in May 2001. He is due for retirement on March 31. The State had a new Chief Secretary in December 2002.

Now, his predecessor, B.P. Nailwal, replaces him as Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board (TNUSRB), considered in police circles a "relatively insignificant" assignment.

Dr. Rajagopalan, a 1965 batch IPS officer, is the fourth DGP during the nearly one year and seven month-rule of the AIADMK Government. He was appointed DGP on October 31, 2000 by the DMK Government and he headed the force till May 24 the following year. After the AIADMK came back to power, he was shifted as DGP, Training. Later, he went on deputation to the Centre to head the elite National Security Guards. After nearly five months in New Delhi, he returned to the State in January last year and was posted TNUSRB Chairman.

The talk of a "major reshuffle" of officers had been on in police circles for the last one week. This assumed credence with the shifting of two Inspectors-General a few days ago. M. Balachandran, hitherto IGP, Training, in Madurai, has been posted in the place of K. Muthukaruppan as IGP, Armed Police, Chennai. The latter has been shifted to Madurai as IGP, Training.

Speaking to newspersons, after calling on the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, the new DGP said the Tamil Nadu police were "already good. We will try to improve our standards". He enjoyed the "goodwill of his subordinates and his superiors".

When a reporter referred to the talk of political interference in police functioning, he said there was no such thing. He had never experienced it. Only those with an "escapist attitude" would talk of political interference.

The honest would always be allowed to function freely. That was why he advised the police to do what appealed to their conscience as correct. To another question, Dr. Rajagopalan said he did not think that terrorism was so alarming in Tamil Nadu.

The State was peaceful. Off and on there might be some stray incidents. At present, there was a will to tackle fundamentalism.

Also, the Government had asked authorities to go into the root cause of naxalism and this would have a salutary effect on curbing the problem, which could not be solved by police action alone.

As for steps to catch the jungle bandit, Veerappan, he said: "God is on my side". He would go all-out to nab the poacher-turned-sandalwood smuggler. The Government was firm on catching the elusive criminal. He would certainly go to the forests again, as he once did.

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