Former Kerala cop moves top court

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Kerala director general of police TP Senkumar on Saturday moved the Supreme Court accusing the state’s Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of victimising him for carrying out impartial investigation in political killings in Kannur.

Soon after the LDF came to power in last May, Senkumar was removed from the top police post citing inaction in a case of brutal rape and murder of a law student in Kochi last year.

Senkumar was known in the police circles for his tough and no-nonsense approach, particularly in tackling political violence in Kannur, the north Kerala district notorious for clashes between left and right wing organisations that claimed many lives in the last one year.

In his plea, Senkumar said the CPI (M) was annoyed with him as he took prompt action in many cases related to political murders, including that of TP Chandrasekharan, Shukoor and Kadirur Manoj. In Manoj and Shukoor murder cases, the police made CPI(M) district secretary P Jayarajan an accused. Both the cases are now being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Senkumar, a 1983batch IPS officer, was replaced by Loknath Behra, a 1985 batch. He said during his tenure as the police chief, only one political murder took place in the trouble-torn Kannur, but nine killings took place in the district after he left. Earlier, Senkumar had moved the high court questioning the government’s decision, saying he was transferred violating the guidelines of the apex court.

However, the HC refused to interfere saying it was an administrative matter.

The government then argued that he was shifted due to his failure to handle Puttingal fire tragedy and Jisha murder case.