S Ravi appointed as Director of State Intelligence, Nimbalkar transferred

Bengaluru: In a significant reshuffle following the tragic stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium, the state government appointed Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Ravi S as the new Director of State Intelligence.

Hemant M Nimbalkar, who previously held the position of intelligence chief, has been transferred and appointed as the Commissioner of Information and Public Relations.

During a press briefing on Thursday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the suspension of Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and several other police officials, including two senior officers, holding them accountable for the stampede that resulted in the deaths of 11 people.

When questioned about intelligence failures, Siddaramaiah acknowledged there had been "some intelligence failure." However, no action was taken against any officers from the intelligence department.

Former Mysore-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha criticised Siddaramaiah for suspending IPS officers but not holding Nimbalkar, the intelligence chief, accountable. Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Simha questioned whether Nimbalkar was being spared due to his wife’s affiliation with the Congress party.

Later in the day, the state government issued an order announcing a major reshuffle.

Nimbalkar had been a frontrunner for the position of Bengaluru City Police Commissioner following Dayananda’s transfer. However, given the situation, the government appointed Seemant Kumar Singh as the new city police chief.

Ravi S, a 1998-batch IPS officer, was previously serving as the Principal Secretary to the Government (PCAS). Now, KV Sharath Chandra, the former ADGP of Recruitment, has been appointed as PCAS. He will also hold the additional charge of chairman and managing director of the Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.

S. Murugan, ADGP of Communication, Logistics, and Modernization, has been given concurrent charge as ADGP of Recruitment. Additionally, R. Hitendra, currently the ADGP of Law and Order, has been appointed to concurrently hold the position of ADGP of Traffic and Road Safety.