Mangalore: New IGP Pratap Reddy Takes Charge, Plans to Upgrade Police Dept
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SI)
Mangalore, Dec 14: New IGP (western range) Pratap Reddy took over the mantle from outgoing IGP Alok Mohan at a simple ceremony here on Wednesday December 14.
Speaking to reporters, Reddy said that he was happy to serve the coastal part of the state once more. "This is my second stint in the coastal area. Earlier I had served in Karkala," he said.
He further said that his primary duty would be to maintain law and order and ensure that peace prevails at all times. He would direct the police department as a 'friend, philsopher and guide', he added.
He would speak more about his experience as IGP of the western range in the coming days, he said.
He also expressed his desire to completely computerize the police departments, and said that he aims to tackle the underworld, the Naxals as well as terrorism using Information Technology (IT) as the main resource.
He appealed to the public to register crime cases whenever they occur, so that they could be dealt with accordingly which would in turn help in reducing the crime rate. Only those cases that are registered can be followed up, he added.
On the issue of Naxal threat in the coastal region, he said that the local intelligence team, the anti-Naxal force (ANF) and local police stations are doing all they can to tackle the problem.
He requested the cooperation and support of the media, the public, people's representatives and the administration in carrying out his duties so that he would be able to do a lot more for the welfare of the coastal region.
During the ceremony, Alok Mohan handed over the mantle of responsibility to Pratap Reddy in the presence of city police commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh and other police officers.
Reddy, who was IGP in fire services, hails from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh.