Hyderabad: Hyderabad got a new police commissioner on Thursday as the state govt carried out a major IPS reshuffle involving 21 officers, replacing VC Sajjanar with senior IPS officer Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat in one of the most closely watched changes in the exercise.The govt appointed 1995 batch IPS officer Mahesh Bhagwat, who was serving as DGP (law & order), as the new Hyderabad police boss. The move comes barely 14 months after VC Sajjanar took charge of the city police. Sajjanar was transferred and posted as DGP (fire, disaster response, emergency and civil defence) and DG (Special Protection Force).Another key appointment was that of Akun Sabharwal as additional director general of police (law & order). Sabharwal recently returned to Telangana after seven years on central deputation. He joined the Research and Analysis Wing in 2019 and served in the United States before being recalled to India and posted with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police.The reshuffle also saw changes at the top level, with five DG-rank officers transferred.Anil Kumar, who headed Greyhounds and Octopus and was credited with spearheading anti-Naxal operations and securing the surrender of several senior Maoist leaders, was appointed managing director of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC). It is the first non-policing assignment of his career. He was replaced by Vikram Singh Mann.Soumya Mishra, who served as Ddrector general (prisons) for nearly three years, was transferred and posted as DGP (women safety, legal and organisation). She was replaced by Swati Lakra, who will additionally hold charge of the home guards department.After being relieved of the women safety wing, Charu Sinha was appointed DGP (Anti-Corruption Bureau) and will continue to hold additional charge of the Crime Investigation Department.Y Nagi Reddy, managing director of TGSRTC, was appointed commissioner of civil supplies, replacing M Stephen Raveendra. Nagi Reddy had been appointed TGSRTC chief in Sept 2025 and this marks his third major posting under the Congress govt.Raveendra was posted as the first director of the newly-created Telangana Traffic Management, Road and Rail Safety Bureau (TG-TMARS).Among other transfers, S Chandrasekhar Reddy, IG (multi zone-I), was posted as director of the ACB, replacing Avinash Mohanty, who was holding additional charge. Chandrasekhar’s position was filled by Kartikeya, who moved from Intelligence.IG-rank officer Ramesh Naidu was transferred and posted in TG-TMARS. Hyderabad traffic joint commissioner Joel Davis was given additional charge as joint director (road safety) and joint director (traffic) in TG-TMARS.In other postings, G Chandana Deepthi, joint commissioner of police (administration and traffic), Future City, was given additional charge as DIG, zone-VII (Jogulamba). R Bhaskaran was assigned additional charge of DIG (Intelligence), while K Narayana Naik received additional charge of DIG (zone-II, Basara).LS Chowhan was posted as DIG (coordination) and given additional charge of DIG (zone-VI, Charminar). Sree Bala Devi, who was awaiting posting, was appointed deputy director (administration), TG-TMARS, while V Aravinda Babu was posted as DCP (social media & IT), Hyderabad.
