Commenting on the appointment of Shivanandan, a top IPS officer told Arab News that the move of superseding Gafoor was unexpected and shocking. "Till 4.30 in the evening, it was nearly confirmed that Gafoor would be the new DGP. But at 4.45 p.m. it was announced that Shivanandan would be the new DGP, superseding Gafoor and Srivastava. Gross injustice has been done to Gafoor and this has not gone well with the IPS officers in the state," he said.
Soon after his appointment as the new DGP, Shivanandan drove to the state police headquarters and was given guard of honor. Later he took charge from outgoing DGP Anami Roy, who retired after 40 years of service.
The superseding of Gafoor has shocked the state’s Muslim community as well. Muslim leaders cried foul and said that the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party-led Democratic Front government has betrayed the Muslim community and shown its bias against Muslims by depriving a Muslim of his rightful claim to the top post.
Had Gafoor been appointed, he would have become the second Muslim IPS officer in the state to head the state police force after Syed Majeedullah, said a senior police officer.
