On 2017 New Year’s eve, the Government of Karnataka effected a major shakeup in the city police here. Mr Praveen Sood, 52, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) – Administration, Karnataka State Police, replaced Mr NS Megharikh as the new commissioner of Bengaluru Police.
Mr Megharikh will head the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Karnataka, according to an official communication. “It is wonderful that I have been given an opportunity to serve the people of Bengaluru,“ Praveen Sood told media. Notification on the transfer of over 32 IPS officers, including 16 in the city police, was issued on Saturday evening when the police top brass was busy providing security for new year celebrations.
Profile of Praveen Sood: Mr Sood, an alumni of IIT Delhi, IIM Bangalore and Syracuse University, New York, joined IPS in 1986. He served as Superintendent of Police of Bellary and Raichur districts; Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) and Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) of Bangalore City and Commissioner of Police of Mysore City. He served as Police Advisor to Government of Mauritius.
He is staunch supporter of use of technology in traffic management and delivery of service to citizens and has been decorated with various honours and awards. In 1999, he proceeded to foreign deputation as Police Advisor to Government of Mauritius for 3 years.
He got exposure to European and American Police during his stint in Mauritius. In 2003, he took a sabbatical for pursuing Post Graduation in Public Policy and Management from Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and Maxwell School of Governance, Syracuse University, New York. He was posted as Commissioner of Police of Mysore city during 2004 to 2007.
He focused on transforming haphazard and unregulated traffic situation in Mysore city through awareness campaigns, mechanical and engineering improvements and better enforcement. He was also instrumental in arrest of Pakistan origin terrorists during his stint in Mysore.
He took over as Additional Commissioner of Police of Traffic, Bangalore in February 2008 and continued till September 2011. A strong supporter of technology driven traffic management, he is instrumental in establishing most advanced Traffic Management Centre at Bangalore city.
He has been decorated with Chief Minister’s Gold Medal for excellence in service in 1996, Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2002 and President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2011. Besides he is recipient of Prince Michael International Road safety Award in the year 2006 for his contribution towards road safety & traffic management and national E-Governance Gold Award for “Most innovative use of technology for Traffic Management” in the year 2011.
As Additional Director General of Police Computer Wing, his immediate challenge was to implement CCTNS i.e. Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System all over Karnataka by networking all Police Stations up to Delhi and ensuring data entry and retrieval of all information in police stations and higher police officers online in real-time.
He was instrumental in introducing mobile governance through SMS gateways for collection of fees as well as service requests from public. He was also nodal officer for delivery of services to citizens under Karnataka Guarantee of Services to Citizens Act.
As Commissioner of Traffic and Road Safety, he was involved in replicating Bangalore model of technology driven traffic management to entire state. During 2013-14, he took over as Managing Director of Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation (KSPHC) and increased the turnover of the company from Rs 160 crore to Rs 282 crore in a short span of nine months.