Srinagar, Nov 13: The government on Tuesday appointed Alok Kumar as new Inspector General of Police, Traffic, replacing Basant Rath.
“Alok Kumar, IGP Security, J&K is transferred and posted as IGP, Traffic, J&K vice Basant Kumar Rath. Basant Kumar Rath, IGP Traffic J&K is transferred and attached in the office of commandant General Home Guards/Civil Defence/SDRF till further orders,” read an order issued today.
Social media was abuzz with rumours of Rath’s transfer since yesterday morning.
Kumar, an IPS officer of 1997 batch, was instrumental in unearthing the petrol scam in the Army in Ladakh during his posting as SSP Leh in the early 2000s.
Rath had shot to fame for his unusual way of traffic management, which generated a lot of controversy.
The IPS officer from Orissa would dress in all black instead of donning the police uniform while on duty.
The social media savvy officer was hugely popular among the youngsters in Kashmir, a rarity for any police officer in the valley, as he would attend social functions like wedding functions of locals or just play cricket with boys in grounds of the city.
However, his stringent implementation of traffic rules meant he would court controversy very often.
