In the first big reshuffle of IPS officers, the newly formed Congress government in Karnataka under Siddaramaiah has given Bengaluru a new commissioner of police.
Senior IPS officer B Dayananda has been posted as Bengaluru’s new police commissioner.
Dayananda, who was serving as the Additional Director General of Police Intelligence (ADGP), was transferred as the Commissioner of Police of Bengaluru City on Tuesday, 30 May.
The transfers of four senior IPS officials come in the wake of Cabinet minister G Parameshwara taking the reins of the Home Ministry in the state.
However, sources from the police department told South First that since Chief Minister Siddaramaiah holds the portfolio of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms as well as Intelligence, transfers of four senior police officials — especially the police commissioner — were decided and facilitated by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
Dayanand is being seen as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s personal pick for the top police job in the city.
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Who is B Dayananda?
B Dayananda has been serving as the ADGP of Intelligence in Karnataka since 1 August, 2020.
Prior to this, he worked as the ADGP of CID (Economic Offence) and Inspector General of Police (IGP) of CID (Economic Offences) in Bengaluru.
He was also the IGP of the Central Range (Bengaluru), Eastern Range (Davanagere), and State Intelligence at different times.
Dayananda also served as the Commissioner of Police for Mysuru City, ADGP (Traffic) of Bengaluru City, and Joint Commissioner of Police of Bengaluru City at various times.
Before he was posted as the Bengaluru police commissioner on Tuesday, Dayananda was serving as the Commissioner for Transport & Road Safety of Karnataka.
Dayananda has a BA degree in Public Administration from Ranebennur in the Haveri district.
He joined the Indian Police Service in 1994. He was allotted the state of Karnataka, where he has been working for the last 26 years in various capacities, gaining experience in the maintenance of law and order, handling communal riots, and investigation of sensational crimes.
He acquired international policing experience while serving as Civilian Police Officer in the United Nations Mission in Kosovo in 2003-04.
He also has experience in handling the Transport Department as he worked as the Commissioner for Transport and Road Safety under the Karnataka government.
In addition, he looked after the affairs of the State Forensic Science Laboratory for two years, during which time its reorganisation was taken up and an exclusive cyber forensic lab was also set up.
B Dayananda is a tech-savvy cop who started one of the world’s first police blogs in 2005, while working as the Superintendent of Police in the Dakshina Kannada district.
For this innovative approach, he was awarded the “E-gov Award for Innovation – 2006” at the International Conference on e-governance held in New Delhi in 2006.
Under his guidance, the Bengaluru City Police started using various social media platforms to better connect with the public.
Dayananda is also the recipient of the President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service (2011), United Nations Medal for World Peace Keeping (2003-04), and the Chief Minister’s Gold Medal (1998-99).
On the occasion of Republic Day 2022, he has awarded the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service.
The new city police commissioner is also a fitness enthusiast and loves to ride bikes.
Serving as the Additional Commissioner (Traffic) in Bengaluru as well as the Mysuru city police commissioner, the IPS officer used to ride his high-end bike and surprise policemen on the road.
He used to undertake bike-patrolling in civilian clothes to check up on his men. However, while coming to the office, he uses the official car and is in full uniform.
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Other IPS transfers
IPS officer KV Sharath Chandra, who was serving as the ADGP of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bengaluru is now the new ADGP of Intelligence, and will report directly to the chief minister.
Meanwhile, Dr MA Saleem, who was serving as ADGP and Special Commissioner (Traffic) in Bengaluru City, has been promoted as the Director General of Police (DGP) and will take over as the DGP of the CID.
In MA Saleem’s absence in managing Bengaluru’s notorious traffic, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) MN Anucheth the second-in-command, will be leading the Traffic Department until the Special Commissioner (Traffic) post is filled.
CH Pratap Reddy, who was serving as the city police commissioner, has been transferred to the post of the DGP of the Internal Security Division in Bengaluru.
