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**Summary:**

The Kerala Cabinet has appointed Ravada A. Chandrasekhar, a 1991-batch IPS officer currently serving as Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau, as the new State Police Chief (SPC). This decision follows the retirement of incumbent SPC Shaik Darvesh Saheb. Chandrasekhar’s appointment was controversial due to his involvement in the 1994 Koothuparamba firing incident where, as ASP, police opened fire on DYFI protestors, resulting in fatalities. He was acquitted in 2012. He was chosen over other contenders, including DGPs Nitin Agrawal and Yogesh Gupta, despite the potential political fallout linked to the historical incident.

**News Article:**

**Ravada A. Chandrasekhar Appointed Kerala’s New State Police Chief Amid Controversy**

**THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, June 30, 2025** – The Kerala Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has announced the appointment of Ravada A. Chandrasekhar as the new State Police Chief (SPC), succeeding the retiring Shaik Darvesh Saheb. The decision, made public today, ends weeks of speculation but has already sparked controversy due to Chandrasekhar’s past.

Chandrasekhar, a 1991-batch IPS officer of the Kerala cadre currently serving as Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau, has been directed to return to Kerala to assume his new role. An interim head may lead the police force until his arrival, according to sources.

While Chandrasekhar brings extensive experience, including stints as ASP in Thalassery, DIG of Thrissur and Kochi Ranges, and Commissioner of Police, Thiruvananthapuram City, his appointment has raised eyebrows. His involvement in the 1994 Koothuparamba firing incident, where police opened fire on a Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) protest resulting in the death of five and injuries to six, remains a sensitive issue. While he and others were acquitted in 2012 by the Kerala High Court, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) decision to overlook this historical incident is already drawing criticism.

Chandrasekhar was second on the shortlist recommended by the Union Public Service Commission, ultimately chosen over DGPs Nitin Agrawal and Yogesh Gupta. The government also considered DGP Manoj Abraham and Additional DGP M.R. Ajith Kumar for the position. The government has not yet released a statement addressing the controversy surrounding the new appointment.

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