Date:01/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/01/stories/2008060150140100.htm

Front Page

Chennai Police Commissioner takes over

Staff Reporter

— Photo: R. Ravindran

wishing him the best: R. Sekar (right), Commissioner of Police, with Nanchil G. Kumaran, outgoing Commissioner.

CHENNAI: Traffic and law and order will be the priorities for R.Sekar, who on Saturday assumed office as the Chennai Police Commissioner.

“Traffic is one area that will assume importance besides law and order,” he told reporters after taking charge. The focus would be on improving night patrolling, preventing city-specific patterns of crime and close monitoring of those released from prisons, he added. Strategies would be evolved to educate people against white collar crimes and prevent conmen, who “sell items worth Rs. 2 for Rs. 10,” from taking them for a ride. He said the police would take up educating people as a campaign and sought the public’s cooperation in crime prevention and maintaining law and order. “We will enhance and identify the areas requiring more vigil and focus on prevention of crime against women,” Mr. Sekar said. The new commissionerate for suburban Chennai would improve policing in rural areas, he said.

In the morning, Mr. Sekar met Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi along with the outgoing Commissioner of Police Nanchil G. Kumaran. Mr. Kumaran, the first officer to retire as City Police Commissioner, took the ceremonial salute and the parade, marking his laying down of office.

Mr. Sekar, Additional Director-General of Police, who entered service in 1981, is an alumnus of Pachaiyappa’s College. He won the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished service in 2007. He served as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) in the city.