Who Is 'Raid Sreelekha', Frontrunner For Thiruvananthapuram Mayor's Post

Retired police officer and BJP candidate R Sreelekha has scripted a historic victory in the Thiruvananthapuram local body elections, defeating her Left rival by a margin of 700 votes.

The 1987 batch IPS officer, who retired in 2020, won from the Sasthamangalam ward on Saturday.

With BJP-led NDA claiming stake to the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, a feat achieved by the saffron party for the first time in the state, all eyes are on who is going to be the first BJP Mayor. Seen as a strong contender, if Sreelekha gets the post, it would mark a dramatic transition for the retired police officer who will don the role of the first citizen of the capital city.

Born on December 25, 1960 to Prof N Velayudhan Nair and B Radhamma, she hails from Thiruvananthapuram. Sreelekha studied at Cotton Hill Girls Higher Secondary School and went on to earn her bachelor's and master's degrees in English Literature from Women's College and the University Institute. She began her career as a lecturer and later also worked in the Reserve Bank, where in fact salary and benefits were higher. 

Yet, in January 1987, she joined the police service as Kerala's pioneering woman IPS officer of the 1987-batch Kerala cadre. Over the years, she became a role model within the force. In an interview, she had stated that the first 10 years of her career she worked doubly hard to fight the system that was not friendly to a woman police officer.

In one of her interactions with media, she recalled the moment when a young trainee IPS officer from another state approached her for blessings, saying she aspired to become like her. The IPS officer credits her rise to her mother.

Sreelekha served as District Police Chief in Cherthala, Thrissur, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha. During her tenure, she earned the nickname ‘Raid Sreelekha'. The name was adjudged to her in police circles due to her quick decision to conduct raids during her four-year stint with the CBI, where she handled economic offences as the Superintendent of Police in Kerala and later as Deputy Inspector General in New Delhi. The Kerala government honoured her with the Meritorious Services Award in 2007.

She was known within the police circle as a vociferous campaigner for increasing women's strength in police. She was known to constantly write letters to take out 'only males can apply' rule during PSC recruitment as police constables. From 4 per cent representation, during her time, today the police force has over 9 per cent representation of women. 

She led investigations into several high-profile cases, including a sensational murder that shocked the state. As DIG, IG and later ADGP, she headed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Crime Branch. Her teams conducted flash raids that exposed large-scale corruption, including the 2013 Operation Annapurna scam, in which Consumerfed officials were accused of procuring goods at inflated prices.

In the infamous 2003 Kiliroor sex scandal, she probed the exploitation of minor girls by influential figures. One of the victims, critically ill in hospital, pleaded with her to catch the abusers and slap them twice. In an act she later acknowledged as illegal but driven by conscience, Sreelekha slapped a key accused, Latha Nair, once. “One more remains. I regret it,” she later said.

She later headed Prisons and Correctional Services and the Fire and Rescue Services, playing a key role in modernising responses during floods and fire emergencies. She also served as Transport Commissioner and oversaw the Rubber Marketing Federation. Her career peaked when she became Kerala's first woman Director General of Police. She retired in 2020 after 33 years of service, without a formal farewell.

Her outspoken career also drew controversy. She spoke publicly about misogyny and sexual harassment within the police force and intervened in cases involving the exploitation of women officers. She faced ridicule from seniors, personal abuse, rumours and threats, particularly during excise raids in Pathanamthitta. After retirement, she questioned the investigation into the 2017 actor assault case and publicly defended actor Dileep, asserting his innocence.

Sreelekha is also an author, having written nine books, including the detective novel Maranadhoothan, which was reissued in 2020. Her husband Dr Sethunath is a childhood friend of hers and Professor of Pediatric Surgery at the Government Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram. Their son Gokul is pursuing an MBA.

After retirement, she maintained a neutral public stance before joining the BJP in October 2024 in Thiruvananthapuram. She has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership inspired her decision. “I was impartial in service. After retirement, I believe this is the best way to serve people,” she said.