Bengaluru gets new traffic police chief in major IPS shake-up

M Abdulla Saleem, who was additional director-general of police (administration), will now head the Bengaluru traffic police as special commissioner (traffic)

With Bengaluru's traffic problem remaining acute, the state government on Monday made senior IPS officer M Abdulla Saleem the new chief of the traffic police by upgrading the post.

Saleem, who was the additional director-general of police (administration), will now head the Bengaluru traffic police as special commissioner (traffic). The post of ADGP and special commissioner (traffic) will be equivalent in status and responsibilities to the cadre post of ADGP (administration), according to the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms.

Saleem (56), a native of Soladevanahalli on Bengaluru's northern outskirts, knows the city and its traffic like the back of his hand. He's a postgraduate in commerce and holds a doctorate in traffic management.

An IPS officer of the 1993 batch, he has held several positions in the city traffic police. Previously, he was the deputy commissioner of police (traffic, east) as well as the additional commissioner of police (traffic).

Dr Saleem has now replaced Dr B R Ravikanthe Gowda, who helmed the city traffic police for more than three years.

A deputy inspector-general of police, Dr Gowda was appointed the joint commissioner of police (traffic) on August 5, 2019, shortly after the BJP came to power. He has now been posted as DIG, Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Other postings

Umesh Kumar, ADGP, Economic Offences Wing (CID), Bengaluru, has been appointed ADGP (administration) in place of Dr Saleem.

Raman Gupta, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crimes), Bengaluru, has been posted as Joint Commissioner of Police (Intelligence), Bengaluru.

In his place, S D Sharanappa, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime-1), Bengaluru, has been posted as Joint Commissioner of Police (Crimes), Bengaluru, in the downgraded post.

M N Anucheth, Superintendent of Police (CID), has been posted as Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) in the newly created post.

Outside Bengaluru, Devajyoti Ray, IGP, Western Range, Mangaluru, has been posted as IGP (Grievances and Human Rights).

B S Lokesh Kumar, DIGP, Internal Security, has been posted as DIGP, Ballari Range, in the downgraded post. The post of DIGP, Ballari Range, has been declared equivalent in status and responsibilities to that of the DIGP, Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP).

New top cop for Mysuru

Mysuru Police Commissioner, Dr Chandragupta, has been transferred and posted as DIGP, Western Range, Mangaluru, in the downgraded post.

In his place comes B Ramesh, Superintendent of Police (CID-2), in the downgraded post.

Ravi D Channannavar, Superintendent of Police (CID-3), has been transferred and posted as managing director of the Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation (Keonics).