R. Jayaram Padikkal was an

IPS IPS, ips, or iPS may refer to: Science and technology Biology and medicine * ''Ips'' (genus), a genus of bark beetle * Induced pluripotent stem cell or iPS cells * Intermittent photic stimulation, a neuroimaging technique * Intraparietal sulcus, ...

officer. He had served as the

Director General of Police Director general of police (DGP) is a rank in the Indian Police Service, held by the highest ranking police officer in a State or a Union Territory of India, typically heading the state or the UT police force. The DGP is appointed by the cab ...

(DGP), the highest rank in the force in the period 1993–94.

Early years

Jayaram Padikkal I.P.S. was born in Peruvemba village

Palghat Palakkad (), formerly known as Palghat, historically known as Palakkattussery is a city and municipality in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the Palakkad District. Palakkad is most densely populated munic ...

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

as the son of an Indian Army officer and had his education in Pune. He was said to be a good hockey player and a voracious reader, especially history, crime and philosophy and later joined the

Indian Police Service The Indian Police Service ( IPS) is a civil service under the All India Services. It replaced the Indian Imperial Police in 1948, a year after India became independent from the British Raj. Along with the Indian Administrative Service (I ...

. In 1982 he was made the

Deputy Inspector General of Police A Deputy Inspector General of Police (abbreviated as DIG) is a high-ranking official position in Police in Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka. India Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) is a rank ...

(DIG), for the state of

and thus became the youngest DIG in the country. He was one of the few Indian Police officers to have received training at the Scotland Yard. He was a recipient of ''President's Police Medal''.

Controversy

When he was Deputy Inspector General (Crime Branch) of Kerala police, he and Pulikkodan Narayanan were accused of complicity in the torture and death of a student named Rajan at the hands of the police during the period of The Emergency. He was convicted but the conviction was overturned on appeal. He was known to maintain a good relationship with the then Kerala Chief minister K. Karunakaran. In 1972, as District

Superintendent of Police Superintendent (Supt) is a rank in the British police and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries, the full version is superintendent of police (SP). The rank is also used in most British Overseas Territories ...

Thrissur Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...

, Padikkal was involved in brutally assaulting Nawab Rajendran and destroying his press office. Its alleged that the attack was in retaliation to Nawab Rajendran's investigative journalism

scoop Scoop, Scoops or The scoop may refer to: Objects * Scoop (tool), a shovel-like tool, particularly one deep and curved, used in digging * Scoop (machine part), a component of machinery to carry things * Scoop stretcher, a device used for casualt ...

against corruption done by then Home Minister K. Karunakaran in the land acquisition for setting up

Kerala Agricultural University Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) is a state university for agricultural education, recognised as a State Agricultural University (SAU) by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). It is situated in Vellanikkara, Kerala, India. ...

at Thrissur. A book about his life and career, called ''The Crime Diary of Jayaram Padikkal'', was written by Venganoor Balakrishnan in 1997. It describes him as "a NOTORIOUS and controversial IPS officer from Kerala, India." He died in the same year, after falling ill. Before that, he was attacked by some militants on his way from

Ernakulam Town railway station Ernakulam Town (also known as Ernakulam North, code: ERN) is one of the main railway stations in the city of Kochi, Kerala, India. Administration The station is operated by the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways and is an 'A� ...

to his home nearby.

References

Popular Culture

In 2006 an experimental drama 'Ormakal Zindabad' (Memories longlive) staged in certain places in Kerala, directed by G.Ajayan based on the custodial death of Rajan. The parts of leading characters Jayaram Padikkal and Rajan were done by Salih Rawther and Shabu Madhavan respectively Ormakal zindabad drama

{{DEFAULTSORT:Padikkal, Jayaram Indian police chiefs Indian police officers Kerala Police officers People from Kerala 1936 births 1997 deaths