Lalrokhuma Pachau Is New Police Chief

By K.V. Subramanya

The new Director-General and Inspector-General of Police L.R. Pachau taking over charge from outgoing DG&IGP A.R. Infant in Bangalore on Thursday.

Senior IPS officer Lalrokhuma Pachau, who took charge as the Director-General and Inspector-General of Police on Thursday, said that he would utilise the experience of his senior colleagues and make the Karnataka police, the best police force in the country.

After taking charge from the outgoing DG and IGP A.R. Infant here, the new police chief emphasised that he would consult his senior colleagues while dealing with the challenges the State police force was facing.

The State Government on Thursday appointed Mr. Pachau as the Director-General of Police (CID) with concurrent charge of the post of DG and IGP. He will be the in-charge DG and IGP until a panel is finalised by the Union Public Service Commission and made over to the State Government to complete the appointment process. Incidentally, he the first officer from the North-East region to occupy the top post in Karnataka.

The Aizawal-educated Mr. Pachau, a 1977 batch officer of the Karnataka cadre, said that it was a “home coming” for him as he was away from the State for almost five years. He was head of the Mizoram State police force for the past four-and-a-half years.

Meanwhile, Mr. Infant said that his batch mate Mr. Pachau was a “noble human being” and an “upright” officer who functioned without any biases.

Mr. Infant, who retired on superannuation, said that his 35-year-long career was rewarding and satisfying, although the last six months was a “period of turmoil” as he had to move the Central Administrative Tribunal and the High Court in regard to the case pertaining to appointment of DG and IGP. “I have nothing to regret. There were some stumbling blocks and occasional pinpricks,” he observed.

Curiously, Director-General of Police Shankar Mahadev Bidari, who too retired on Thursday, was conspicuous by his absence on the occasion. Senior police officers from across the State were present on the occasion.