The appointment of D Sivanandan as Mumbai Police Commissioner on Saturday, replacing Hassan Gafoor who was promoted and moved out of the high-profile job after coming under a cloud for his role in the lapses of the force during 26/11, is being seen as natural progression for an officer with an enviable record and who had been billed to get there by many in police circles for some time now.

Over the years, Sivanandan has emerged as one of the key officers in the Maharashtra cadre of the Indian Police Service, and has been crucial to the state police’s think-tank. A 1976 batch IPS officer, Sivanandan has held a wide array of important posts in an illustrious career so far.

Having built a reputation of being a “no nonsense” yet easily approachable policeman, Sivanandan takes over from Gafoor as the city police chief at a crucial juncture, with the leadership of the Mumbai Police being called into question over the response to the 26/11 attacks. In the aftermath of the attacks, Mumbai Police is in the process of modernising its equipment and retraining sections of the force to be prepared to deal with challenges such as 26/11 and the new commissioner is expected to play a critical role.

“I have not yet decided on any priorities. I will assess the needs and demands of the hour only after sitting on the chair,” Sivanandan, who was head of the State Intelligence Department before the new posting, told Newsline in a light-hearted comment soon after learning about his appointment.

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