The Kerala government is debating whether it should continue with the system of a full-fledged DGP for the North Zone of the state covering the Kannur and Thrissur ranges. Rajesh Dewan, who was heading the zone, was the first officer in the rank of DGP posted in the zone in the State. He retired on April 30 and the government is yet to find a replacement. South Zone ADGP Anil Kant has been temporarily given charge of the post till further orders. One of the biggest challenges the new ADGP faces is to maintain and take forward the proactive measures initiated by Dewan during his two-year tenure. Both Kannur and rural Kozhikode still reel under political violence while other districts such as Kasaragod, Wayanad, Palakkad, and Malappuram have their own peculiar law and order issues. Unlike the southern parts of the State, about 80% of the crimes in the north occurred between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. "So we had to increase the number of the police force from 500 to around 2,500 exclusively for night patrolling, This was backed up with the control rooms operating round the clock and the constitution of emergency reserve force at the district levels," Dewan reportedly said two days after his retirement.