Sinha, who retired from service on Monday after completing more than 35 years in Gujarat police, handed over charge to Saikia at the police commissioner’s office in Shahibaug.
Ending all speculation about the likely successor of Sudhir Sinha as the city’s police chief, the state government on Monday appointed senior IPS officer SK Saikia as the new Ahmedabad police commissioner. This will be Saikia’s third stint as city’s police chief.
Sinha, who retired from service on Monday after completing more than 35 years in Gujarat police, handed over charge to Saikia at the police commissioner’s office in Shahibaug.
Saikia’s appointment has taken police officials by surprise. Till five o’clock on Monday, nobody at the police commissioner’s office had a clue that Saikia would take over from Sinha. But soon after 5 pm, a message from the office of the state’s Director General of Police (DGP) announced the appointment of Saikia as the city’s next police commissioner leaving everybody dumbfounded. At 6 pm, Saikia arrived at the police commissioner’s office in Shahibaug and took charge from Sinha.
Earlier, Saikia was Ahmedabad police commissioner from October 2, 2007 to February 26, 2009. Later, in 2009 itself, he was again appointed police commissioner of the city on the directive of the election commission. Saikia has a clean track record as a police officer and is considered one of the upright officers in the department. The only incident for which he faced criticism was the Ahmedabad hooch tragedy of 2009 in which more than 150 people died. He was transferred as police commissioner after the tragedy.
A 1977 batch IPS officer, Saikia hails from Meghalaya. He was additional director general of police, (Inquiries), in Gandhinagar before taking over as the city's police chief for the third time. His appointment is being seen as a sign that the assembly elections that are slated for December 2012 may be held earlier than expected.
Unlike Sudhir Sinha, Saikia is laconic in his replies. When asked for his comments after taking charge as the city's police chief on Monday, he said there was nothing much to say as he has already served at the post twice earlier.
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