Jat stir effect: Haryana DGP, CID chief shifted
Under fire for its failure to control the Jat quota violence in the state in February, the Haryana government on Tuesday shifted its director general of police (DGP) Yashpal Singal and additional director general of police (CID) Shatrujeet Kapoor.
Under fire for its failure to control the Jat quota violence in the state in February, the Haryana government on Tuesday shifted its director general of police (DGP) Yashpal Singal and additional director general of police (CID) Shatrujeet Kapoor.
DGP (crime) KP Singh replaces Singal as the state police chief while IG (Hisar range) Anil Rao is the new Intelligence chief. For KP Singh who was the intelligence chief during the reign of Om Prakash Chautala, the elevation to the post of state police chief is a sort of professional revival, he having remained on rather low key assignments for almost a last decade. Singal meanwhile has been posted as DG, Prisons while Kapoor has been posted as ADGP (crime).
The state government’s failure to control quota violence spread in seven districts from February 18 to 23 has invited all round criticism.
Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar had appointed former IPS officer Prakash Singh to inquire into the acts of omission and commission on part of police and civil administration officials during the quota agitation.
The government on April 8 constituted a Commission of Inquiry headed by former Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court Justice (retd) SN Jha to inquire into facts and circumstances pertaining to quota violence.
It was expected that some heads will roll particularly in the police administration as a number of BJP legislators had demanded the ouster of state police chief as well the intelligence chief. Similar voices were also heard from the RSS circles. Khattar who had handpicked both Singal and Kapoor subsequently was left with very little option but to placate his party persons.
Dozens of people were killed in February when Jat protesters clashed with forces and other groups, torched buildings and vehicles and destroyed public and private property. The state government recently told Punjab and Haryana high court that 2110 FIRs were registered and 567 persons arrested in connection with the violence and loss of property during the quota agitation.