IPS officers fume over frequent transfers

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Even as some young IPS officers have aired their resentment over the frequent transfers, a section of senior cops has blamed   it on other factors  like lobbying by young officers for key posts and lack of healthy communication with the political leadership.

Frequent transfers has been a long-pending issue affecting effective policing at all ranks. The average posting of a sub-inspector rank officer is only for around eight months.  State police chief T.P. Senkumar may take  up the issue  with the government, police sources said.

The shifting of Ajeetha Beegum and H. Manjunath from the posts of Wayanad and Palakkad district police chief  respectively after a  stint of around five months kicked off the latest  resentment. Political pressure from local Congress leaders was  said to be the reason for both the transfers.

Ajeetha Beegum had even expressed her resentment on the social media stating that she was annoyed by the transfer. But the post was withdrawn within hours after it was reported by a section ofthe media.

Even while condemning the premature transfer of police officials, a section of senior officers also found some justification in the government's action.  

“A police officer should be able to properly communicate and convince the political leadership of any stand he or she takes, especially on matters involving political pressures. In many cases, the junior officers  were found to be failing in this which seems to have led to the premature transfer of Ajeetha and Manjunath,”  a senior IPS officer said on condition of anonymity.

A tendency among some junior officers to lobby for key posts also leads to obligations to political bosses.   “We are even surprised  how some junior officers clinch independent charges of districts,” said another senior officer.