Bengaluru (South) Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Annamalai K has resigned from his position.
In a letter to his friends and well wishers, he confirmed the resignation. "Last year my visit to Kailash Mansarovar was an eye opener as it helped me to see my priorities in life better. Madhukar Shetty sir's death in a way made me to re-examine my own life. All good things had to come to an end and have decided now my time in kakhi is done. I planned and wanted to leave post the Lok Sabha elections as I didn't want to inconvenience this government just before the elections by resigning. If my resignation has caused any anguish for you, my sincere apologies for that. I honestly believe I have to do this now. It's been an emotional time for me and my best friend who happens to be my wife as well helped to smoothen it out," he wrote in the letter.
Madhukar Shetty, a 1999 batch IPS officer from Karnataka, passed away in 2018 after a prolonged illness. An upright officer known for having a played a significant role in exposing the Ballari mining scam, the 47-year-old had cardiac complications.
While there has been speculation that Annamalai's resignation means he will now enter politics in his home state of Tamil Nadu, he clarified in the letter that he will be taking time off following his resignation for now. However, he later hinted to the media about his entry into politics. "I personally believe a person can do more in life. I will be somewhere in public service, somewhere there is even more freedom because the service itself gives you only that kind of freedom. I have not spoken to any politicians or taken a decision," he said.
In his letter too he has said that he woulg go back to his hometown in Tamil Nadu for now, "For people who are speculating what next for me. I'm too small a man to have lofty ambitions. I just wanted to take some time out and enjoy those small things in life which I had missed out, be a good father to my son - who deserves every bit of my time as he is fast growing up, get into farming back home and see whether my sheep still listens to me as I'm no more a cop now."
Annamalai met CM Kumaraswamy on Tuesday and reiterated his decision to resign in spite of being asked to continue in service. "It has been ten years and I feel I have achieved my scope in civil service and now is the time to do this outside of civil service. I have not yet taken a decision on what is next and I need 3-4 months to think and decide." he said.
Annamalai took over as DCP of Bengaluru (South) in October 2018. He is a graduate of PSG College of Technology in Coimbatore and Indian Institute of Mangaement, Lucknow. A 2011 batch IPS officer, Annamalai hails from Karur in Tamil Nadu. He was first posted as the Assistant Superintendent of Police, Karkala sub-division in Udupi district in 2013. He was later promoted to SP of Udupi on January 1 2015.
Upon taking charge, he earned a reputation for cracking down on criminal activities in the coastal district. He was also popularly referred to as the 'Singam' of Udupi after news of him standing up to errant bike riders spread in the district. Annamalai frequently interacted with students studying in colleges, particularly in Manipal, where he implemented stringent rules restricting nightlife in the student town. Bars and restaurants were forcibly closed at 11:30 pm while students in the town were asked to identify and explain themselves if they were caught by the police after midnight.
He was transferred out of Udupi district and posted as SP of Chikkamagaluru district in July 2016. He earned further praise for his handling of the sensitive Baba Budangiri issue. In December 2017, he organised a peace-keeping meeting between members of Hindu and Muslim communities following incidents of vandalism at the famous Baba Budangiri shrine in the district. The shrine is a pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Muslims. The police department also roped in cartoonist Satish Acharya to put up cartoons promoting peace in vantage points in Chikkamagaluru in the run-up to the festival. His team of police officers also raided several gambling dens in his tenure as SP in the district.
In 2018, Annamalai was given his transfer orders to take charge as SP of Ramanagara district within hours of BS Yeddyurappa becoming the Chief Minister of Karnataka. JD(S) and Congress legislators were put up in a resort in Ramanagara at the time. The transfer, however, never materialised since Yeddyurappa relinquished his post within two days. Annamalai was then made the DCP of Bengaluru (South) in October of the same year, capping a remarkable rise through the police ranks in the state.