The Telangana government on Wednesday transferred Cyberabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar and posted him as managing director of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC).
M. Stephen Raveendra, currently Inspector General of Police, West Zone, will be the new police commissioner of Cyberabad.
Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar issued the order transferring the two Indian Police Service (IPS) officers.
Sajjanar, a 1996 batch IPS officer who had hit the national headlines following the killing of four accused in a gang rape and murder of a woman veterinarian in 2019, served as Cyberabad police commissioner for more than three years.
As the commissioner of Cyberabad, which covers the information technology hubs of HITEC City and Gachibowli and several strategic clusters around Hyderabad, Sajjanar launched many initiatives during his tenure to check crime, especially cybercrime and accidents.
Sajjanar also led the efforts in coordination with IT companies and NGOs to help people hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. He came to the rescue of migrant workers during the lockdown last year and also played a key role in rendering a helping hand to Covid-patients with blood donation, isolation centres and oxygen supply.
Sajjanar’s tenure also saw the shocking gang rape and murder of a woman veterinarian on the city outskirts and the subsequent gunning down of all four accused by the police in an alleged encounter.
While he was hailed by many for delivering ‘instant justice’ to the victim, he also came under criticism from human rights’ groups who termed it as ‘extra judicial’ killings.
The four accused were shot dead on December 6, 2019 at Chatanpally near Hyderabad, the area where the charred body of a 27-year-old Disha (as the victim is referred to by the investigators) was found.
According to police, Disha was kidnapped and sexually assaulted near Outer Ring Road (ORR) on the night of November 27, 2019. After the sexual assault, the accused murdered her, took the body to Chatanpally and set it afire.
Police claimed that the four men were killed as they tried to snatch weapons from police personnel who had taken them there to recreate the scene of the offence.
The Supreme Court later formed a three-member inquiry commission to probe the circumstances leading to the encounter. The panel is still conducting the inquiry.
