IPS officers transferred in Uttarakhand: Amit Srivastava removed, Sarita Doval is new SP of Uttarkashi

Indian Police Service officer Sarita Doval has been appointed  the police chief  of Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand state. Amit Srivastava, who was removed from here, has been sent to the post of SP of regional intelligence. Apart from these, the state government has announced the transfer of three other  IPS officers in a notification issued on Wednesday evening.

Uttarkashi incident:
In these transfers, the removal of Amit Srivastava, an officer of the 2012 Uttarakhand cadre of the Indian Police Service, from the post of Superintendent of Police of Uttarkashi within three months has become a point of discussion. A month ago,  during Amit Shrivastava’s tenure, 200 people were accused of attacking police personnel, pelting stones and vandalising Muslims shops during a protest against a five-decade-old mosque which they say is illegal. Three Hindu activists were also arrested for violating prohibitory orders in this Uttarakhand town.

Violence broke out in Uttarkashi when Hindu protesters insisted on going beyond  the police barricade which was installed to stop them. The protesters ,despite a designated route in the permission granted for the rally. were insisting that they will go towards the direction of the  mosque which  they were threatening to demolish,  When stopped, the protesters first scuffled with the police and then started pelting stones. Police used batons to disperse the crowd. Police had said the protesters vandalised four shops belonging to members of the Muslim community and made provocative speeches against them. Eight policemen were injured in the incident.

In connection with this violent incident, a case has been registered against eight named and 200 unidentified people under charges of attempt to murder, rioting, molestation etc.

The incident of Amit Srivastava’s transfer happened on the day when the state government told the Uttarakhand High Court that it has not given permission for any rally against the mosque.

Sarita Doval:

Sarita Doval, who has been appointed the SP of Uttarkashi , replacing  Amit Srivastava, is one of those PPS officers who were promoted to IPS officer last month (October 2024). Sarita Doval is an experienced police officer and has held different important responsibilities in various districts including Haridwar. Sarita Doval has also been SP City in Dehradun.

Other IPS officers who got new appointments:

2011 batch Uttarakhand cadre IPS Dhirendra Singh Gunjyal has been appointed Assistant Inspector General of Police (Prison). He was  on the mandatory waiting list. Yashwant Singh, a 2012 batch IPS officer posted on this post till now, has been transferred and appointed SP (CID). However, he had an additional charge of this post.

Mamta Bohra (IPS 2022), who became IPS from PPS officer, has been transferred and appointed SP – Police Headquarters (PHQ).