THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: R Sreelekha, the first woman IPS officer from Kerala and also the first woman officer in the state to adorn the Director General of Police (DGP) rank, joined the BJP on Wednesday. 

She received the party membership from BJP state president K Surendran, at her residence at Easwara Vilsasm here. Sreelekha, who retired from service in December 2020, said she had been contemplating joining the party for the past three months. However, she refused to comment when asked whether she would enter parliamentary politics.

Surendran told reporters that he was proud to hand over the party membership to Sreelekha during the Navaratri season when woman is worshipped as an epitome of ‘Shakthi’.

Sreelekha did not enjoy a good rapport with the LDF government during the fag end of her service. She had turned down the official farewell ceremony on her retirement. Of late, she had been in news for her comments on various issues through her YouTube channel.

Born in 1960, Sreelekha entered the police service while working as a Grade B officer in the Reserve Bank of India. She started her career as an assistant superintendent in Kottayam and, on completing probation, was appointed the district superintendent of Thrissur in 1991.

Thereafter, she functioned as the district superintendent of Wayanad, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts. She later went on deputation to the CBI where she spearheaded various anti-graft drives thereby earning the name ‘Raid Sreelekha’. Her stints as the managing director of various public sector units were noted for efficient intervention and transparent administration.