Thiruvananthapuram: Two DGPs (Director Generals of Police) in Kerala Dr B Sandhya and S Ananthakrishnan are retiring from service on Wednesday. The Kerala Police will organise a farewell parade for the DGPs at SAP Parade Ground, Peroorkada in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.

Onmanorama takes a look at the exemplary careers of the two officers who served the Kerala Police for almost three-and-half decades.

DGP Dr B Sandhya

Hailing from Pala, Dr B Sandhya belongs to the IPS batch of 1988. She completed her school education from St Antony’s GHS, Alappuzha and SHGHS, Bharananganam. She later earned an MSc degree with rank from Alphonsa College, Pala. Sandhya joined the IPS (Indian Police Service) after serving two years as project officer at Matsyafed.

Her first posting as IPS officer was at Shoranur as ASP. She held posts such as Alathur ASP, Additional AIG at Police HQ, Kannur Crime Branch SP, District Police Chief at Kollam and Thrissur, AIG at Police HQ and DIG, Thrissur Range.

She was the IG at Armed Police Battalion, Traffic, Ernakulam and Thrissur ranges and Crime Branch. Subsequently, she became the ADGP in charge of Armed Police, Modernisation, South Zone and Training. She also served as Director General of Kerala Police Academy.  During superannuation, Sandhya was the Director General of Fire and Rescue Services.

Sandhya has won several excellence awards for service, including the President’s police medal, Central Home Minister’s award and International Association of Woman Police Award.

She was also invited by the UN to prepare a handbook for police officers investigating crimes against women. She has also received training in human resources from University of Wollongong in Australia.

Sandhya has authored several books. Her family comprises husband Dr K Madhukumar and daughter Dr Haima.

DGP S Ananthakrishnan

An IPS officer of the 1989 batch, S Ananthakrishnan belongs to Thiruvananthapuram. After securing an MA in Sociology, Ananthakrishnan worked with State Bank of Travancore, Canara Bank and Unit Trust of India before joining IPS.

He has served as ASP at Kalpetta and Kollam; joint SP at Adoor; Commandant at KAP Battalion 1, district police chief at Idukki, Palakkad, Thrissur, Kollam and Pathanamthitta; AIG at Police HQ; SP at Crime Branch and Intelligence; and Director of Women’s Commission.  Anathakrishnan was also deputed to the International Police Force of the United Nations in Bosnia Herzegovina.

His other postings include DIG with Vigilance, Intelligence and Kannur Range; Transport Commissioner; IG at Police HQ, Home Security and ADGP with Intelligence, Crime Branch and Police HQ. Currently, Ananthakrishnan is the Excise Commissioner.

His initiatives include implementation of the Internal Administrative Processing System for speedy disposal of files and various campaigns against drugs. He has won several police medals from the President.

Ananthakrishnan’s family comprises wife Asha and children Ananda Sankar and Bhadra.

Farewell to 9 SPs

A farewell event was held for nine SPs (Superintendents of Police) in the presence of DGP Anil Kant at the Police Headquarters on Tuesday.

The retiring SPs are P B Rajeev, Director of Women’s Commission; T Ramachandran, State Special Rank Branch Thiruvananthapuram Range; K V Vijayan of Police HQ; C Bastin Sabu from Marine Enforcement; J Kishore Kumar of State Crime Records Bureau; Prince Abraham, State Special Branch, Kozhikode Range; K Lalji, Thiruvananthapuram City Deputy Commissioner (crimes and administration; K M Jijimon, Idukki Crime Branch and K N Aravindan of Kerala Armed Police Battalion 1.