Major IPS reshuffle in Gujarat: Extensive changes across key cities and state cadre

In one of the largest police reshuffles in recent years, the Gujarat government on Monday night transferred and reassigned over 114 officers, including senior Indian Police Service (IPS) and State Police Service (SPS) officers. The sweeping changes involving promotions, new postings, and crucial transfers are aimed at strengthening law enforcement and improving administrative efficiency across the state.

Ahmedabad at the centre of major movements

Ahmedabad City, considered one of the most critical policing hubs in Gujarat, saw some of the most high-profile changes.

Rahul Tripathi (GJ:2013), Superintendent of Police (SP) Morbi, has been posted as Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Special Operations Group (SOG), replacing Jayrajsinh V. Vala (GJ:2017), who moves as SP Devbhumi Dwarka.

 Himkar Singh (GJ:2013), SP Rajkot Rural, has been appointed DCP (Economic Offences Wing), Ahmedabad City, a key position in tackling financial crimes.

 Dr Harshadkumar K. Patel (GJ:2017), SP Bhavnagar, takes charge as DCP Zone-1, Ahmedabad City.

 Bhagirath T. Gandhvi (GJ:2017), DCP Zone-2 Surat, has been shifted to DCP Zone-6, Ahmedabad City, succeeding Dr Ravi Mohan Saini, who has now been made SP Jamnagar.

 Safin Hasan (GJ:2018), DCP (Traffic), Ahmedabad, has been promoted and appointed SP Mahisagar.

 Baldevbhai C. Desai (GJ:2018), DCP Zone-5 Ahmedabad, has been moved to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Vadodara as Deputy Director.

 Baldevsinh C. Vaghela (GJ:2018), DCP Traffic (Administration), Ahmedabad, has been shifted to ACB Rajkot as Deputy Director.

 Nareshkumar Kanzariya (GJ:2019) has been made DCP Traffic (East), Ahmedabad.

 B. R. Patel (GJ:2016) joins as DCP Traffic (West), Ahmedabad, moving from Metro Security.

Statewide realignments

The reshuffle also covered other strategic regions, particularly Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Saurashtra districts.

 Dr Karanraj Vaghela (GJ:2012) has been shifted from SP Valsad to the Economic Offences Wing, Surat City.

 Rohan Anand (GJ:2013), SP Vadodara Rural, will now lead the Anti-Economic Offences Wing, CID (Crime).

Shaifali Barwal (GJ:2016) has been appointed DCP Zone-7, Surat.

 Ms Anupam (GJ:2016) takes charge as DCP (Traffic), Surat.

 Andrew Macwan (GJ:2017) has been posted as DCP Zone-4, Vadodara City.

 Rushikesh B. Upadhyay (GJ:2017) is the new DCP (Traffic), Vadodara City.

 Himanshu Varma (GJ:2018), SP CID (Crime – EOW), has been moved to DCP (Crime Branch), Vadodara.

 Rajkot and Saurashtra changes

 Vijay Singh Gurjar (GJ:2018) replaces Himkar Singh as SP Rajkot Rural.

 Parthrajsinh Gohil (GJ:2014) has been promoted from DCP (Crime & Special), Rajkot City, to SP Sabarkantha.

Premsukh Delu (GJ:2016) has been moved from SP Jamnagar to SP Surendranagar.

 Yashpal Jaganiya (GJ:2013) is the new SP Western Railways, Ahmedabad.

 Manoharsinh Jadeja (GJ:2017) becomes SP Aravalli-Modasa, while Rajesh Gadhiya (GJ:2017) takes charge as SP Surat Rural.

 Prashant Sumbe (GJ:2015) shifts from SP Narmada to SP Banaskantha.

Senior officers and special cases

Among senior positions, Manoj Agarwal, a 1991-batch IPS officer, has been transferred to the vacant post of DGP, CID, Crime and Railways. The officer previously served as Director of Civil Defence and Commandant General of Home Guards in Ahmedabad.

Meanwhile, as many as eight senior officers of the 2011 batch, including DIG Hitesh Joysar (Surat Rural), DIG Tarun Duggal (Mehsana), DIG Chaitanya Mandlik (CID Crime), and DIG Suraj Kumari (Western Railways), have been relieved from their current postings and kept on waiting orders until further notice.

Several others, including Dharmendra Sharma (GJ:2014) and Mayur Patil (GJ:2014), have also been placed on the waiting list pending new assignments.

SPS movements

Alongside the IPS changes, 29 SPS officers have also been transferred across the state, adding to the scale of the administrative overhaul.