KK Rao returns as police chief after 16 months as Akil promoted to DGP

Gurgaon: Two years after he served short stint, Krishan Kumar Rao will return as Gurgaon’s police chief, the first time any IPS officer will serve two tenures as the city’s top cop since the commissionerate was formed in 2007.
Rao will take charge as police commissioner from Mohammad Akil, who has been promoted as director general of police (crime). Akil, a 1989-batch IPS officer, was additional DGP when he took charge of Gurgaon police in February 2019 — the seniormost IPS officer to hold the office. But Akil brought far more to the office than the weight of his rank. During his tenure, police ran a sustained campaign against organised crime, breaking the back of most major gangs operating in and around the city.
Rao’s previous stint as Gurgaon’s police chief lasted eight months. He was appointed in June 2018 and transferred eight months later to Faridabad, where he continued to hold charge till Tuesday’s reshuffle by the Haryana government. OP Singh, a 1997-batch IPS officer, has been named the new police chief of Faridabad.
Rao, who is from the 1996 batch, is an inspector general (IG)-rank officer. Originally from Bhiwani, he completed his school and college in Kurukshetra. He has served in 14 districts, including at Kurukshetra, Sonipat, Panipat and Karnal as superintendent of police.
Aware that police have been vulnerable to Covid infections, posted that cops are at all the front lines, Rao told TOI on Tuesday, “Along with ongoing programmes, we will focus on management of containment zones and safety of policemen and citizens during the pandemic.” His familiarity with the city would help, Rao said.
Akil said he cherished his tenure in Gurgaon and received support from residents. “People of Gurgaon are law-abiding citizens. They maintain social harmony and do not stoke communal discord,” said Akil, adding he was looking forward to his new assignment.
During his tenure, more than 150 gangs involved in vehicle theft, snatching, theft and abduction were busted. “Incidents like murder, loot, and vehicle theft were solved within days of the incident,” said a senior police officer, adding Akil used to personally monitor the progress of investigations and tracking of criminals.
Akil had given targets to each crime unit and would regularly follow up. The arrest of Kaushal, one of the city’s most notorious gangsters, created a void in the crime world that many gangs tried to fill but under Akil’s watch, police managed to thwart these efforts.