Reporter’s diary: Hits and misses of city cops’ farewell parades

Before Rajendran, the customary farewell was last given to DGP Radhakrishnan in July 2017 after the ritual was stopped temporarily in 2014.

A rough calculation shows that at least seven IPS officers in the rank of DGP — Muthukaruppan, Ashok Kumar, R Sekar, Anoop Jaiswal, Archana Ramasundaram, S George and K P Maghendran— retired between November 2014 and June 2019. “Though the parade and evening dinner is arranged for retiring officers, of late it is being organised for selective officers only,” a serving officer noted.

Two senior police officers in the ranks of DGP Ashish Bhengra and R C Kudawla also retired on June 30 along with T K Rajendran. They, however, did not receive an official farewell. Sources recalled that former DGP Anoop Jaiswal retired on June 30, 2015 and a farewell parade was planned for him at that time. But, it was cancelled in the last minute because of intervention, possibly from political bosses.

It may be noted that Rajendran was given a send-off by a procedure called ‘police pulling’. Rajendran’s official car was used in the procession as senior police officers pulled his car like a temple car tied up by ropes on both sides. As the vehicle moved slowly towards the main gate, the police personnel standing on both sides showered flowers on the car till it left the premises. The last time such an exercise was carried out was when Letika Saran retired as DGP.