Pics: Ramesh Pandith/Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Jun 12: Police commissioner Chandra Sekhar M on Monday June 12 bid adieu to Mangaluru city, paving the way for his successor IPS officer T R Suresh to take over the mantle.

Thanking the people of the city and the media in a simple ceremony organized at the city police commissionerate here, Chandra Sekhar said, "The one-and-a-half-years of service that I have rendered in Mangaluru is one of the most memorable and happiest time in my career.

"When I first came to Mangaluru as police commissioner in the first week of January 2016, the city was unfamiliar to me. But because of the support of the people of the city as well as my colleagues, I was able to start discharging my duties very soon.

Mangaluru is known as a city of intelligent people, its citizens are kind-hearted and respect the law, which is why I was able to work without any problem. Nevertheless, there are some anti-social forces here who keep trying to disrupt law and order, and I have everything in my power within the framework of law to bring them under control," he said.

"I undertook several measures to make Mangaluru police people-friendly. Among them, the most important is the weekly phone-in programme, for which we have received excellent response and support both from the public as well as the media. The phone-in programme has given a platform for the citizens to directly air their grievances with the police, and in turn, helped the police respond to the issues with appropriate actions.

"I thank the media for their co-operation. They have projected the police in a right way whenever some good work was done with their factual reporting. This has improved the image of police department.

"Some anti-social elements try to influence the public with false propanganda and create problems in the society, but factual reporting done by media in this situation really helped. A slight aberration in a media report can explode the situation, but you did not do it and stuck with facts and ensured anti-social elements were defeated," he told the media persons gathered at the ceremony.

"The silence of good people is more dangerous to the society than the violence committed by bad people. It is your responsibilty to make the voice of good people heard. You (media) have given me and my team your best, for which I am grateful, and I expect the same for my successor also," he added.

"Media has also improved the trust of public towards the police department. This has helped people to approach police station open-heartedly. You have also allowd us margin of error. On a few occasions we had to take on-the-spot decisions and error of judgement led to mistakes, but the media gave us the benefit of doubt by your factual reporting on several occasions," he said.

"I have been transferred as the IGP of CID and economic offences department, Bengaluru. I sincerely thank my colleagues, police officers and personnel, and officers of other departments, and also the media and the people of the city for directly or indirectly supporting me in discharging my duties as police commissioner of Mangaluru," Chandra Sekhar said.

"I urge everyone to provide similar support to my successor too," he added.

New police commissioner takes charge

Soon after Chandra Sekhar's farewell, new police commissioner T R Suresh took over the charge from him.

In his short address, the police commissioner said, "I have been given the responsibility to serve as police commissoner in Mangaluru. I will discharge my duties to the best of my ability. I will also continue the programmes introduced by M Chandra Sekhar. Wherever there is scope, I will bring in changes and work hard to maintain law and order in Mangaluru city, and also ensure a police-friendly atmosphere for the public."

T R Suresh started his career as IPS officer in 2003. He has served in Vijaypura, Bagalkot, Uttar Kannada, Hubballi and Dharwad, and as DCP (law and order) in Mysuru, Lokayukta department in Tumakuru, additional SP in Belagavi, as SP in Kodagu, Bagalkot, Raichur and Tumakuru, DCP Bengaluru (north east), DCP (north) in Bengaluru and as DIG of fire services, Bengaluru

He is a native of Shivamogga and holds MBA degree.