Thiruvananthapuram: After days of speculation, the Kerala government has named DGP Ravada A Chandrasekhar as the new state police chief. He'll succeed Shaik Darvesh Saheb, who is set to retire on June 30. A 1991-batch IPS officer currently serving as Special Director with the Intelligence Bureau, Chandrasekhar is at present on central deputation. He was selected over Nitin Agarwal, who topped the official list of probables. The appointment order, issued by Kerala Chief Secretary Dr A Jayathilak on behalf of the Governor, was released soon after a cabinet meeting held on Monday

Chandrasekhar, who hails from Andhra Pradesh's Godavari region, began his policing career in Kerala with his first posting as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Thalassery. Over the years, he served as Superintendent of Police in Wayanad, Malappuram, Ernakulam Rural, and Palakkad districts. He later held key positions, including Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Thrissur and Kochi ranges. He also served as the Commissioner of Police in Thiruvananthapuram.  He went on central deputation in 2008 while serving as a DIG.

Notably, his name is etched in Kerala’s political memory for a controversial episode early in his service. On November 25, 1994, just a day after arriving from Hyderabad on transfer, Chandrasekhar ordered police firing to disperse DYFI activists protesting with black flags against then Minister M V Raghavan in Koothuparamba. The firing led to the deaths of five DYFI workers and injuries to six others, including Pushpan, who was paralysed and later died in 2023. Though Chandrasekhar and others were charged with murder, the Kerala High Court acquitted all the accused in 2012.

Shortlisted as Secretary (Security)
Interestingly, Chandrasekhar has also been cleared for appointment as Secretary (Security) in the Cabinet Secretariat, where he was expected to take charge on August 1, succeeding fellow Kerala cadre officer Harinath Mishra.

While the secretary (security) post is considered powerful, Chandrasekhar-- who has only one year left in service-- is unlikely to get an extension in that role. However, since he is appointed as Kerala’s police chief, he will be eligible for a one-year extension, in line with a Supreme Court directive mandating a minimum two-year fixed tenure for state DGPs. Ravada A Chandrasekhar had recently visited Thiruvananthapuram, where he met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Chief Secretary to convey his interest in taking up the role of State Police Chief.

Second in seniority
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) shortlisted three officers for the post — DGPs Nitin Agrawal, Ravada A Chandrasekhar, and Yogesh Gupta.

While the Kerala government had also recommended the names of DGP Manoj Abraham and ADGPs Suresh Raj Purohit and M R Ajith Kumar, the UPSC shortlisted only officers who met its stringent eligibility norms. As per its criteria, only those holding the rank of DGP and with at least 30 years of service could be considered, leading to the exclusion of the ADGPs from the final list.

Among the list of probable candidates for the post, Nitin Agarwal, the most senior officer, is currently the State Road Safety Commissioner. Despite his seniority, the government opted for Chandrasekhar. The third officer on the list, Yogesh Gupta, was reportedly overlooked due to strained relations with the state government. 

Ravada Chandrasekhar will be the 41st Director General of Police (DGP) of Kerala. He will take charge at the police headquarters at 7 am on July 1. 

H Venkatesh IPS, Additional Director General of Police, Law and Order will hold additional charge of the post, of Director General of Police- cum- State Police Chief, Kerala, till Chandrasekhar assumes charge.