Munish Sood
MANDI: In an age where viral social media content often eclipses truth, even the most dedicated public servants can fall prey to momentary misjudgment by the masses. This was the case with IPS officer Karthikeyan G, the Kullu Superintendent of Police, whose commitment to duty remained unquestionable until a short and out-of-context video cast a shadow over his integrity.
A few days ago, a video of Karthikeyan appearing to doze off during an official function of the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister went viral on social media. Without seeking context or clarification, some media outlets sensationalised the footage, triggering a wave of online trolling. What the video failed to reveal was the officer’s ongoing health condition and the side-effects of medication that led to fatigue and drowsiness, said the IPS officer when contacted by The Newz Radar to know his side.
“I have been unwell for the past six months and undergoing treatment. The medications have caused fatigue and drowsiness, but I have continued to perform my duties without compromise,” he said.
Far from being negligent, Karthikeyan has led the Kullu police with remarkable efficiency and effectiveness since assuming charge in February 2024, said an official in the district administration.
His tenure is marked by a series of impactful achievements that have strengthened law enforcement and improved public safety across the district, the official said, citing the following data from February 2024 to May 2025 to highlight the positives of his tenure.
Crime control & investigation
• 100% murder case resolution, including two complex blind murder cases; overall 50% reduction in murder cases compared to the previous year.
• 36% decline in rape cases, with 100% solved within 60 days of registration.
• 94% of kidnapping and abduction cases successfully solved.
• 43% reduction in theft cases owing to preventive policing strategies.
• 21% drop in crimes against women, attributed to a more responsive and gender-sensitive policing approach.
War against drugs
• 241 NDPS cases registered in 2024 — second-highest in the district’s history.
• Arrest of 231 accused, including 15 Nepalese nationals.
• 73.2 kg charas, 998.7 grams of heroin, 1.2 kg opium seized
• Destruction of 1.68 lakh poppy plants and over 26.5 lakh cannabis plants, demonstrating the police’s zero-tolerance policy.
Traffic & public safety
• Effective regulation of 17.9 lakh vehicles and handling of nearly 98.5 lakh tourists across Banjar, Parvati Valley and Manali.
• Issued 1,22,834 traffic challans, collecting over ₹2.06 crore in fines.
• 921 drunken driving and 33,650 over-speeding violations penalised.
• 17% reduction in road accident fatalities through strict enforcement and road safety drives.
Cybercrime & surveillance
• 790 cybercrime complaints handled, with over ₹4.16 lakh refunded to victims and more in process.
• Establishment of a District Command and Control Centre and installation of 90 new CCTV cameras for better monitoring.
• Expansion of Integrated Traffic Management Systems (ITMS) at key locations like Babeli and Patlikuhal.
Police welfare & recognition
• ₹74.4 lakh in welfare loans granted to 58 police personnel.
• 19 new family quarters sanctioned; 43 commendations awarded to officers for exemplary service.
• High rankings for Bhuntar police station and women police station in Kullu in CCTNS performance metrics for 2024.
Disaster response
• During last year’s devastating cloudbursts, the district police under his leadership rescued 566 stranded individuals from remote and dangerous terrains.
Other than these he has conducted police recruitment and general election smoothly and without controversy during his short tenure so far.
