Bengaluru, (DHNS): IPS officer K Annamalai is Bengaluru's new deputy commissioner of police, south division. He will have a challenging task as the head of the southern police division, spanning areas where old-time residents live, have of late seen a spurt in house break-ins.

Annamalai, who was the superintendent of police, Chikkamagaluru, was transferred along with four other IPS officers on Tuesday. Though the government called them routine transfers, sources in the Home Department told DH that the postings were aimed at appeasing a section of the new political alignment. DCP (South) S D Sharanappa has been transferred without any posting. Most of the crimes reported in the southern police division, which has jurisdiction over areas such as Banashankari, Hanumanthanagar, Channamanakere Achukattu, Girinagar, JP Nagar and Puttenahalli, were burglaries.

Habitual offenders target these areas as they are inhabited by wealthy old-time residents compared with the floating population of techies and families who reside in other police divisions, a senior officer said. Sharanappa, the outgoing DCP, recently cracked 31 burglaries by arresting a five-member gang.

Police recovered Rs 84 lakh worth of gold valuables weighing 2.6 kg and 4.2 kg of silver articles. The suspects were identified as Imran Khan alias Chor Imran, of Valmikinagar on Mysuru Road, Khadir Ahmed (24), of Nayandahalli, Prakash alias Jangli (29), of Mathikere, Mahesh (25), of Nagasandra, and Dayanand alias Nanda (21), of Andrahalli Main Road. Police also seized five two-wheelers and 20 grams of diamond bangles.

The gang targeted homes that had newspapers lying outside of them and lights switched on during the daytime. The suspects broke into them at night. The gang's arrest helped solve cases registered at Hanumanthanagar, JP Nagar, Sudduguntepalya, Puttenahalli, Girinagar and CK Achchukattu police stations. One of the suspects was involved in cases registered at the Lashkar police station in Mysuru.

Other transfers

P Harishekaran, an IGP, will replace R Hithendra as the city's new additional commissioner of police (traffic). Hithendra hasn't been given any posting. Hitherto, Harishekaran was IGP, Bengaluru Headquarters-1, at the state police headquarters on Nrupathunga Road. Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Ajay Hilori has been transferred as Commandant, 1st Battalion of Karnataka State Reserve Police. Rahul Kumar Shahapurwad has replaced him.

Superintendent of Police, CID, Harish Pandey, is the new SP of Chikkamagaluru. Jinendra Khanagavi, DCP (Crime 2), has been posted as the principal of Police Training School, Channapatna.