Dead officer named as fgn tourist nodal officer on Gujarat CID portal

Ahmedabad: Gujarat Police's official website continues to display the name of a deceased IPS officer, M K Nayak, as the first nodal officer for Ahmedabad responsible for assisting foreign tourists, raising questions over the upkeep of public safety information meant for international visitors.The list, hosted under the CID (Crime) section titled "In your service", carries details of 32 designated nodal officers across districts. Nayak, a 2006-batch IPS officer who was serving as DIG Armed Units in Vadodara, died of Covid-19 in April 2021 at SVP Hospital in Ellisbridge, Ahmedabad. He was among the first IPS officers in the state to die due to the infection and was accorded full state honours. Despite his death more than four years ago, Nayak's name remains on the directory, indicating that the tourist-assistance contact list has not been updated.Attempts to seek a response from Gujarat DGP KLN Rao, who also heads CID (Crime), did not elicit a reply.A review of the document also shows other inconsistencies. In multiple districts, officers listed as nodal contacts are no longer posted in those locations, and in some cases the positions shown appear to be effectively vacant, with no corresponding officer currently serving. The discrepancies raise concerns about the reliability of official channels intended to help foreign nationals during emergencies.The lapse comes as Gujarat records high foreign tourist footfall. The India Tourism Data Compendium 2025 places the state third in foreign tourist arrivals in 2024, with over 2.27 million visits. With Ahmedabad, Gir National Park and the Rann of Kutch among key draws, tourism-sector experts said accurate and responsive support contacts are essential for visitor safety.A senior police officer said outdated information in a public-facing safety directory could undermine confidence among international travellers who may rely on such contacts in distress.
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