Main Issue in City Is Drugs

The position of the Kochi police commissioner is often regarded as a hot seat—a high-pressure, high-stakes role.

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And DIG Putta Vimaladitya, who also heads the Kerala Anti-Terrorist Squad, is one of the youngest officers to hold the post. Here, the former CBI officer speaks about his views on modern policing, narcotics, terrorism, and the priority issues on his table. Excerpts

The people of Kochi are not very familiar with your personal background, except for the fact that you were brought up in a farmer's family. Could you elaborate on how you entered IPS?

Even though my father was a farmer, he was a highly educated man who actively participated in social activities. It was during my engineering days that I developed an interest in civil services. After completing my engineering degree, I did an internship for a year in Bengaluru. It was during that time that I made the decision to pursue civil services.

One of the main reasons was that, as we grow up in society, we take a lot from it. I strongly felt that if the right people occupied critical positions, they could make a positive impact. That is how I moved away from the corporate sector and entered public service.

You studied at BITS Pilani, right? What was the turning point for you? Was IPS your first preference?

It was my second preference; IAS was my first. Initially, I was selected for the Revenue Service. After training in Customs and Central Excise, I eventually got into the IPS.

IPS and IAS are not very different in nature. Both involve significant public interface, and the nature of the work is quite similar. However, IAS officers have a wider scope as they manage various departments, whereas policing is a more specialized vertical. I was satisfied with policing. I settled into the police service, got married, and committed fully to this career.