Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday unleashed sharp criticism on T.P. Senkumar, the former state police chief and an official of director-general of police rank.
The criticism comes in the wake of Senkumar’s allegation that the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPM) government was taking revenge against him for his bold pursuance of controversial cases against the party during his term as state police chief.
“Senkumar is seeking new safe zones,” said Vijayan, adding that he was not with the United Democratic Front (UDF) camp anymore. “He is playing politics,” the chief minister said.
Shortly after assuming power, the Left Democratic Front government had shifted Senkumar from the post of state police chief. The senior police officer appealed against the move before various tribunals and courts, but has not been successful so far.
Senkumar argued that his career was ruined because he had pursued some cases involving senior CPM leaders.
Vijayan, however, said the state government had given him all due consideration and had not attempted to victimise him.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said the criticism of Senkumar by the chief minister was “unfortunate” and that such comments against a senior police officer were “juvenile”.
