Nationality Indian Spouse(s) Rafiya | Residence Thiruvananthapuram Name Abdul Kunju | |
 | ||
Full Name M. Abdul Sathar Kunju Born 26 June 1939 (age 84)
Oachira, Kollam, Kerala, India ( 1939-06-26 ) Parents Mohammed Kunju (father)
Saliha Umma (mother) Education BA English, 1960
MA Political Science, 1962
Bachelor of Laws Alma mater Sree Narayana College, Kollam, University of Kerala
Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram | ||
M. Abdul Sathar Kunju is a 1963 Batch (16 RR) officer of Indian Police Service who retired as the 21st Chief of Kerala Police in 1997.
Contents
Early life and education
Sathar Kunju was born into an affluent family in the small town of Ochira to Mohammed Kunju and Saliha Umma. He did his undergraduate and post graduate studies at S.N. College Kollam, University of Kerala. He bagged the prestigious Dr. A. Ramaswamy Mudaliar Gold Medal instituted by University of Kerala for first rank in Political Science. He later attended Government Law College Thiruvananthapuram for Bachelors in Law.
Career
Sathar Kunju joined the Indian Police Service in 1963. He started his career as Assistant Superintendent of Police of Alwaye, in 1966. He later took over as Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kochi. In 1967, he got promoted to the rank of Superintendent of Police.
He served as Superintendent of Police of Kottayam, twice. In 1971, he took over as Superintendent of Police, Thiruvananthapuram Rural. He also became the Principal of Police Training College, Thiruvananthapuram.
He served as Deputy Inspector General with Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau for three years. He also served as D.I.G. Crime Branch C.I.D. His tenure as D.I.G. South Zone saw the effective containment of riots at Poonthura and some other places. He also served the Motor Vehicle Department as Joint Transport Commissioner from 1983 to 85.
He again went back to Crime Branch C.I.D. and served as Inspector General of Police and Additional Director General of Police, before getting promoted to the rank Director General of Police.
He served as Director General of Police Jails from 1996-1997.
Sathar Kunju retired as Director General Of Police, Kerala (Law & Order) in June 1997.
Contribution
He was instrumental in creating the post of Medico-Legal Adviser for Kerala Police when he was Inspector General of Police (Crime Branch C.I.D). Noted forensic surgeon Dr. B. Umadathan was the first occupant of this post.
Crimes solved
He as D.I.G. (South Zone) oversaw the Investigation of the famous Ettumanoor Temple Theft case. It was highly appreciated by the then state Government.
Recognition
1- President's Medal for Distinguished Service in 1987.
2- President's Medal for Meritorious Service.
Family
He is married to Smt. Rafiya and the couple has two sons and two daughters.
In Books
1- Memoirs of a Forensic Surgeon by Dr. Umadathan (former Principal of Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram) discussed in detail about the contribution of Sathar Kunju.
2- Kerala Muslim History, Statistics and Directory by Dr. C.K. Karim in Volume-3 has a brief biographical write up.