Srinagar, May 19
Jammu and Kashmir Director-General of Police A.K. Suri was today shifted from the top post in a major reshuffle in the police, while in bureaucracy Home Secretary M.M. Bhat was shunted to the Education Department.
Additional DGP Gopal Sharma, a 1971 batch IPS official, was appointed the new DGP in place of Mr Suri, who had been heading the force since 2000. Mr Suri is proceeding on leave, official sources say.
Mr Suri had got into controversy during the last Assembly elections on the issue of the deployment of Special Operations Group (SOG) following an Election Commission directive that the force be kept under restraint during the poll.
Seniormost IPS officers M.K. Mohanty and Rajan Bakshi
have also been promoted to the rank of Director-General.
Two other officials Kuldeep Khuda and Ashok Bhan have been promoted as Additional Directors-General.
Mr Madan Lal, Managing Director of the Police Housing Corporation, has been made the Additional Director-General (Security), a post held by Mr Sharma.
In the civil administration, M.M. Bhat, Secretary Home, has been transferred and posted as the Secretary to Government, School Education.
The reshuffle, the first after the change of guard in the state comes amidst speculation that Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was contemplating a reshuffle in the police in a bid to change the image of the government.
Mr Tanvir Jahan, Managing Director, State Financial Corporation, has been transferred and posted as the Vice-Chairman of the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority.
Mr Sheikh Mohammad Hussain, presently Excise Commissioner, has been transferred and posted as member of the Jammu and Kashmir Special Tribunal, Kashmir.
Mr Masood Samoon has been appointed Excise Commissioner.
Mr Umang Narola, on repatriation from the Centre, will be the officer on Special Duty in the office of the Resident Commissioner, New Delhi.
The charge of the MD, SFC shall be held by Financial Commissioner, Finance.
PTI
