Andhra top cop shunted out as Jagan Reddy takes charge as CM
Amaravati: On his first day in office as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Y S Jaganmohan Reddy Thursday night shunted out state Director General of Police R P Thakur, very much on expected lines.
Damodar Goutam Sawang, Thakur's 1986 batch mate, has been given full additional charge as the new DGP (Head of Police Force) and is eventually expected to take regular charge as the state police chief.
Anti-Corruption Bureau DG A B Venkateswara Rao (1989 batch) has also been removed and asked to report to the General Administration Department.
Both Thakur and Rao were on the "hit list" of the YSR Congress for some time now, as they were perceived to be close to the previous Telugu Desam Party government.
The YSRC, when in opposition, filed many complaints with the ECI and other authorities against the two controversial IPS officers.
Thakur has been posted to the nondescript Printing and Stationery Department as Commissioner. The incumbent there, T A Tripathi, has been asked to report to the GAD, according to an order issued by the Chief Secretary L V Subrahmanyam.
Kumar Viswajeet, currently Additional DG (Intelligence), has been given full additional charge as DG, ACB, as per the Chief Secretary's order.
In another crucial appointment, 1992 batch IAS officer Shamsher Singh Rawat has been made Principal Finance Secretary, a post that had been lying vacant for a long time.
Sending a clear signal that he is serious about bringing in good administration, the chief minister appointed 2000 batch IAS officer Solomon Arokia Raj as his Secretary. Solomon is seen as an efficient and upright officer.
K Dhananjaya Reddy (2006 batch) has been posted as Additional Secretary to CM. Reddy is expected to visit the state Secretariat on Friday and continue the bureaucratic rejig, official sources said.
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345 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran return home via Armenia
New Delhi (PTI): A group of 345 Indian fishermen, who were stranded in Iran amid escalating regional tensions, returned to India via Armenia on Saturday, officials said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan for assistance in return of the Indian nationals.
The Indian nationals arrived in Chennai this evening, the officials cited above said.
The circumstances that led to them being stranded in Iran were not immediately known.
"Thank FM @AraratMirzoyan and the Government of Armenia for facilitating the evacuation of Indian fishermen today from Iran, through Armenia to India," Jaishankar said on social media.
Over 1,500 Indian nationals have left Iran through land border crossings in Armenia and Azerbaijan since the start of the West Asia conflict over a month ago.
"A group of Indian fishermen, stranded in Iran, are returning home via Armenia today; their flight is expected to reach India this evening," a government statement said.
It said the Ministry of External Affairs continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the West Asian region, with the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community being accorded the highest priority.
It also made a mention of five Indians being injured in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
According to Abu Dhabi authorities, the Indian nationals were among the 12 people injured by debris from an intercepted missile.
"In an attack in Abu Dhabi, five Indian nationals were injured; four have been discharged, one remains under treatment," the Indian government's statement said.
It said the Indian mission in Abu Dhabi is extending "full" assistance and coordinating with local authorities, adding that their flight is expected to reach India this evening.
