Chennai, May 2: Former Director General of Police (DGP) of Tamil Nadu, S.R. Jangid, has reflected on his tenure, recalling several significant events. He highlighted his success in controlling ethnic violence in Tirunelveli in 1995 as his greatest achievement.
In an interview with a news agency, Jangid discussed the severe ethnic violence that erupted in the Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts in 1995, which resulted in numerous killings and clashes. He took charge as the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Tirunelveli on December 5, 1995. “I boosted the morale of the striking force and worked alongside police personnel deployed throughout the area. Within just two to three months, we successfully brought ethnic violence under control. This achievement was the result of the collective efforts of the Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi police,” he stated.
He further mentioned that his striking force served for four years—two years in Tirunelveli and two years in Thoothukudi. Recently, he attended the retirement ceremony of Anjur, who retired as a Sub-Inspector from the Grade-1 constable position, to honor his old team. “I went there to thank everyone. We refreshed our memories by watching old videos and photos. During those days, officers and personnel were on duty 24 hours a day, making it difficult to spend time with families. This meeting was heartwarming,” he added.
Discussing the ‘Bawaria Operation’ and the film ‘Thiran Adhigaram Ondru,’ Jangid shared that when he was the Inspector General of North Zone, the operation led to significant success in apprehending criminals. He narrated the story of this operation to film director Vinod, who later made a movie based on it. At Vinod’s request, Jangid also played a small role as an honest police officer in the film, clearly stating that he would not take on the role of a villain.
Recently, Jangid made a brief cameo in the upcoming Tamil film ‘Jan Gan Man,’ starring superstar Vijay. He mentioned, “Director Vinod called me for the shoot. Upon arrival, I learned that it was for the film ‘Jan Gan Man,’ where Vijay plays the lead role. I have previously worked in two films, but this one is special.”
When discussing politics or elections, Jangid remarked, “After retirement, there are no specific rules to follow. One enjoys the freedom to live like an ordinary citizen.”