Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s newly-inducted chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, has begun a major reshuffle in the state’s police force, starting with the removal of director general of police (DGP) for law and order from his post, reportedly leading to some resentment in the force in the process.

T.P. Senkumar, who held the post of DGP, was shunted out on Tuesday, and will now head the Police Construction Corporation. Senkumar was replaced by Loknath Behra, a 1985 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.

Senkumar appeared clearly unhappy and posted on social media, “I still have all my vertebras intact”.

There were other major changes, too. Another IPS officer of the 1985 batch, Jacob Thomas, who had a running battle with the Oommen Chandy ministry and had been sidelined by the United Democratic Front (UDF) government, has been appointed vigilance director.

Shanker Reddy, who was removed from the post of vigilance director, has not been given a new posting for the moment. Last week, the additional director general of police for south zone, K. Padmakumar had been moved from his post; B. Sandhya replaced him.

The changes have reportedly not gone well with some of the senior officers. Since Jacob Thomas is the most senior officer after Senkumar, it was thought that he would be given the post of DGP for law and order.

Thomas said “there is a clear message” in his appointment as vigilance chief, and that he would carry out his duties well and that vigilance inquiries would progress in the path of truth.

Senkumar is perceived to be bitter about his removal from the post of state police chief, particularly when he had only one more year of service left.

He wrote on the social media page of the state police chief: “This may be my last post as SPC [state police chief] of Kerala. This page was created with an intention to have continuous and mutual beneficial interaction. Due to some of the exigencies, this may not have been fully possible.

“During the last 35 years I have always kept honesty, integrity and justice and a special care for the downtrodden. I still have all my vertebras intact. I have never appeased anybody for any posting. I have always tried to be impartial and fair.”

Senkumar joined the civil services as an Indian Economics Service officer in 1981 before moving into the Indian Police Service.