T.P. Senkumar soon after assuming the office of state police chief. File photoAs many as 21 platoons of the Kerala police bade a ceremonial adieu to the force's most illustrious chief in recent times at the Special Armed Police (SAP) grounds in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday.
Not deviating from his stated stance of political neutrality and empathetic work ethic, he exhorted officers and the ranks to stick to the core values of the police pledge.
Profusely thanking all officers for their support and cooperation, he said the rot of corruption had affected the top rungs of the force than its lower levels. Calling upon officers to act with 'utmost empathy' in cases involving the indigent sections, and women and children, he said the force was duty-bound to act without prejudices and political sway.
Long journey
The officer briefly retraced his journey through the years and said life outside the police had given him a better understanding of things. Senkumar, who famously took his unceremonious ouster to the Supreme Court, rode back to power on the apex court's verdict. He prepared to move the court again as the government played the delay game and approached the court to 'seek clarity' on the order. A badly 'bruised' state government had to pay Rs 25,000 as indemnity and reinstate the officer as state police chief.
11 months after ouster, TP Senkumar back as Kerala police chief
Legal circles hailed the officer's choice to slug it out in the top court as historic. The verdict was seen as one which would embolden law-abiding and neutral officers to work without fear of being hunted by 'political masters.' Senkumar said he was 'more free' now as he was out of the shackles of 'conduct rules.' Hinting at a vibrant post-retirement life, he said he would be active in public sphere.
Economic thought
Senkumar's active engagement in issues concerning the general public sprang from his training in economics. He perceived that the intelligence mechanism of the state could be used most effectively for preemptive conflict resolutions. He envisioned a more broad-based role for the intelligence wing, like forecasting an imminent water scarcity or other livelihood issues in advance to help the government act immediately.
A stated rational during his early years, his shift to a more philosophical and probably agnostic stance is the only 'thought turnaround' seen in the officer in his 34 years of service. On the day he won his case in the Supreme Court, an elated Senkumar had held the book, 'Apprenticed to a Himalayan Yogi,' by Sri M., as he emerged from his home. The dichotomy of staying stoic and never batting an eyelid before opening new battle fronts remains one perplexing trait of the officer.
Before the chief's address, the men fired skyward and the ranks marched out a slow parade. The police chief then shook hands with the parade captain to mark the closure of the drill.
Read more: Latest developments in Kerala | TP Senkumar takes the final salute, says will continue to work for the public
