Senior IPS officer Dr Alok Mohan has been appointed as interim Karnataka Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP) with immediate effect. This decision comes as the current head of the police force, Praveen Sood, is set to embark on a two-year deputation as the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Alok Mohan currently holds multiple positions, including DGP and Commandant General of Home Guards, Director of Civil Defence, Director General of Fire and Emergency Services, and head of the State Disaster Response Force. Praveen Sood will be relieved from his position on Monday, May 22, according to a government notification. Alok Mohan will serve as the interim state police chief until the newly formed government appoints a permanent head. After the Congress won a majority in the recently held Assembly elections, senior leader Siddaramaiah was sworn in as the new Chief Minister on Saturday.
According to procedure, the state government is required to compile a list of all DGPs and submit it to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The UPSC panel then selects three of the most senior officers from the list and returns it to the state government, which then chooses one from among them.
An alumnus of IIT Roorkee and Harvard University, Alok Mohan joined the IPS at the age of 22 in 1987. He has MSc (Hons), MPhil, and MPM (Master in Public Management) as well as a doctorate in the field of India’s internal security to his credit. An accomplished officer, Alok Mohan has been honoured with several prestigious national and international medals, including the President Police Medal for Distinguished Service and President Police Medal for Meritorious Service. He was awarded the UN Peace Medal for his outstanding efforts as part of United Nations Peacekeeping Operations while serving as a commander of the International Police Task Force (ITPF) in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
During his tenure as the DGP of the Prisons and Correctional Services Department, Alok Mohan earned recognition for implementing transformative measures in the prison administration through the Navachetana programme. This initiative aimed to improve the mental, physical, and emotional well-being of over 15,000 prisoners across 53 prisons in the state.