Ranchi, June 11: The state government today reinstated three zonal inspector-general of police posts, which it had abolished about a year ago, dubbing it a move to improve law and order in Jharkhand while admitting it had deteriorated in recent times.

The move came after a two-day hurricane suspension of policemen and bureaucrats for administrative lapses related to the May 18 lynchings in Rajnagar (Seraikela-Kharsawan) and Nagadih (Bagbera, East Singhbhum), and Jamshedpur's communally charged response to the Rajnagar murders on May 20.

This afternoon, state home department notified three IG rank officers for three zones - Dumka and North and South Chotanagpur - for keeping a hawk-eyed vigil on respective regions and suggest ways to thwart possible threats before they flare up.

The new zonal IGs are Suman Gupta for Dumka (Santhal Pargana); Murari Lal Meena for North Chotanagpur (Hazaribagh and Coal Belt); and Naveen Kumar Singh for South Chotanagpur (Ranchi, Kolhan and Daltonganj), government spokesperson Nidhi Khare told the media at Suchana Bhavan.

Accompanied by home secretary S.K.G. Rahate, DGP D.K. Pandey and ADG (operations) and police spokesperson R.K. Mallick, Khare, who also happens to be secretary of state personnel department, said this move was taken in view of the recent lynchings and other threats to law and order.

"These zonal IGs will enjoy all powers such as disciplinary action, review law and order of their command areas from time to time, act on or issue orders based on intelligence inputs, among others. Between the government (Ranchi) and districts, there was the need for a post of IG rank to improve law and order, so we have once again created this post," she said.

Rahate added that earlier all five commissionaries had their respective IGs, which had been abolished. Now, in view of the present-day need, the three IGs have been given designated zones.

Referring to lynchings over false child kidnap rumours and communal tensions, Khare said any event first occurs in an isolated manner, but ignoring freak incidents over a period might lead to a big flare-up.

On May 18, administrative lapses resulted in lynchings in three villages of Rajnagar and Nagadih village in Bagbera, where four Muslim cattle traders and three Hindu aspiring entrepreneurs were killed by rural mobs ostensibly over " bachha chor" rumours, but with sinister undertones of intolerance to suspected beef trade or non-tribals buying land.

Displays of mob ire over rumours have not yet been fully controlled, but no casualty was reported after May 18.

Over the last couple of days, acting on the findings of a high-level probe panel into the twin lynchings, the chief minister's office ordered suspensions of Seraikela-Kharsawan DC Ramesh Gorakh Gholap and SP Rakesh Bansal, and a battery of other, less-senior officials in this district and neighbouring East Singhbhum.

Today, Avinash Kumar, who was in Special Branch (CM's security), took charge as Seraikela SDPO.

But, none of the four senior bureaucrats today gave a categorical reply when The Telegraph asked if there was a political reason behind East Singhbhum DC and SSP, whose roles came under scrutiny in the Nagadih lynchings, staying safe. So far, no senior official has been hauled up for lynchings in Nagadih, which is close to chief minister Raghubar Das's hometown Jamshedpur.

"Actions have been taken. Many officials have been removed and departmental proceedings initiated in both districts," said Rahate, parrying specific questions on East Singhbhum DC and SSP. "We don't want to comment on the specifics at the moment. Whatever action was taken so far was based on reviews of the probe by a two-member committee formed by the government," he said.

Lynchings apart, recent communal tensions in Jamshedpur, Ranchi and Hazaribagh, vandalism by tribal outfits against proposed amendments in tenancy laws in Ranchi, violence and tensions related to sand-lifting in Garhwa, recovery of a beheaded cow in Latehar and witch-hunt in Gumla have put the police and administration on the back foot.

DGP Pandey said "forces opposed to development" were behind creating unrest in the state. Asked why the police couldn't anticipate tribal vandalism in Ranchi, he did not give a clear reply.

On policing in general, he claimed to follow a clear-cut vision. "By 2017, we will end Naxalism and improve law and order in districts," he said.