The Hindu : Front Page : Chennai gets its first woman Police Commissioner

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 21, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Chennai gets its first woman Police Commissioner

Special Correspondent

CHANGE OF GUARD: New Chennai City Police Commissioner Letika Saran, after taking charge from her predecessor R. Nataraj in Chennai on Thursday. — Photo: K. Pichumani

CHENNAI: Chennai got its first woman Police Commissioner on Thursday.

Letika Saran, Additional Director-General of Police (ADGP), replaces R. Nataraj, who succeeds her as Additional Director General of Police, Headquarters.

An officer of the 1976 batch of the Indian Police Service, Ms. Letika Saran held additional charge of administration. Born on March 31, 1952, she is a native of Idukki district in Kerala. She is the 36th Chennai Police Commissioner after Independence.

She was ADGP, Training and Project Director, Tamil Nadu Police Academy, and served as the Inspector-General of Police in the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC).

On June 10, 2002, she was promoted ADGP and posted as ADGP (Training), Chennai.

As Inspector-General of Police in the DVAC, she deposed before a Special Court here in August 2000 in the "disproportionate wealth case" against Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.

She arrived at the Commissioner's Office at Egmore around 6.30 p.m. and was received by Mr. Nataraj. After exchanging pleasantries, he handed over charge to Ms. Letika Saran.

Soon after taking charge, she met the members of the media and said her priority would be "to maintain order and have a peaceful poll process."

Mr. Nataraj had done extremely well, she said. "I will continue his work."

Expresses happiness

When asked about how she felt as a first woman Police Commissioner, Ms. Letika Saran said: "I am happy to be posted here. I am happy that everybody has confidence in me."

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