Himachal govt recalls IPS officer Kundu from Central deputation
SHIMLA:IN a significant move that indicates a probable change in police top brass, the Himachal Pradesh government has recalled 1989-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Sanjay Kundu, from central deputation. Kundu is currently, joint secretary, ministry of water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation.
Before going on Central deputation in 2016, Kundu was additional director general of police (law and order). He moves back to the state after the Appointments Committee of cabinet gave its nod to his premature repatriation to Himachal police, while imposing an extended cooling-off condition. The Himachal government had made this request two months ago.
“A special post is being created for Kundu in the secretariat. He could also be placed as officer on special duty to the chief minister with additional responsibilities,” said an official of the home department, requesting anonymity. There is a strong possibility that Kundu could later head the police department.
Kundu’s name was doing the rounds for the post of the state DGP, even when the new chief minister Jai Ram Thakur took charge in December 2017.
However, in January 2018, 1986-batch IPS officer Sita Ram Mardi was appointed the DGP. He had replaced 1984-batch IPS officer Somesh Goyal. Goyal’s tenure was marked by several controversies, with the Kotkhai rape and murder leading to protests across the state.
A HARVARD GRADUATE
A postgraduate in Public Policy from University of Minnesota, where he was also a Fulbright Humphrey Fellow, Kundu graduated from the National Defence College and Harvard University, where he completed a programme on ‘International Security and Strategy’.
He has worked as police commissioner, United Nations, where he carried out works relating to national capacity building, conflict mitigation, human rights, protection of civilians and humanitarian support.