Amid prison row, Govt posts IPS Anshu Kumar as Chief of Parappana Agrahara

Bengaluru

Amid the ongoing Karnataka prison controversy, the state government has transferred IPS officer Anshu Kumar,  Superintendent of Police (Prisons), and appointed him as the Chief Superintendent of Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara, Bengaluru. 

The order, issued on November 10, 2025, by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), comes as part of a broader restructuring of the state’s prison administration. 

The transfer order, signed by K V Ashoka, Under Secretary to Government, DPAR (Services-4), states that the post of Chief Superintendent of Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara, has been declared equivalent in status and responsibilities to the cadre post of Superintendent of Police, Mandya, under Rule 12 of the IPS (Pay) Rules, 2016. Kumar replaces K. Suresha, who has been transferred from the post.

The transfer assumes significance as it follows a week of controversy surrounding alleged irregularities, VIP treatment to inmates, and lapses in prison discipline at the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail, one of the state’s most high-profile correctional facilities. The controversy erupted after videos of inmates using mobile phones surfaced in the media. 

Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday constituted a panel headed by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), R Hitendra. The panel that was formed to probe the irregularities also included IPS officers Sandeep Patil, Amarnath Reddy, CB Risyhanth. 

Sources in the Home Department said the government’s move indicates an effort to “restore accountability and discipline” within the prison system. The new appointee, Anshu Kumar, is expected to oversee corrective reforms and streamline operations under close supervision of the Additional Director General of Police (Prisons & Correctional Services).

The order has been circulated to senior officials in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), and Karnataka Police Headquarters for compliance.

This latest reshuffle is being viewed as part of the government’s attempt to stabilize the prison administration following a string of controversies that have tarnished the state’s correctional image in recent months.