History of the District
Ananthapuramu got its name from “Anantasagaram‟, a big tank, which means “Endless Ocean”. The villages of Anantasagaram and Bukkarayasamudram were constructed by Anantaras Chilkkavodeya, the minister of Bukka-I, a Vijayanagar ruler. Some authorities assert that Anantasagaram was named after Bukka’s queen, while some contend that it must have been known after Anantarasa Chikkavodeya himself, as Bukka had no queen by that name. Ananthapuramu District was formed in the year 1882 have been separated from Bellary district of Karnataka state. Later on, it was expanded with the addition of Revenue Mandals of Kadiri, Mudigubba, Nallamada, N.P.Kunta, Talupula,Nallacheruvu, O.D.Cheruvu, Tanakal, Amadagur and Gandlapenta (previous Kadiri Taluk) from Y.S.R Kadapa District in the year 1910. During the year 1956,the present Revenue Mandals of Rayadurg, D.Hirehal, Kanekal, Bommanahal and Gummagatta of Bellary District were added to Ananthapuramu District. The District has been divided into 5 Revenue Divisions consists of 63 Revenue Mandals (Ananthapuramu Division-19, Dharmavaram Division-8 and Penukonda Division-13, Kadiri Division-12, Kalyandurgam Division-11).
Re-Structuring of Ananthapuramu District as per the Gazette notification No.154 dt 01.02.2022 (G.O.Rt.No.69, Revenue (Land-IV), 1st February, 2022).Ananthapuramu city serves as the administrative headquarters of the district.
History of AP Police Department
The Andhra Pradesh Police Department has its roots in the colonial policing system established under the Indian Police Act of 1861 during British rule. After India's independence in 1947 and the formation of the state of Andhra Pradesh in 1956 (through the merger of Andhra State and parts of Hyderabad State), a unified police force was created for the state. The department inherited its structure and operations from the colonial system but adapted it to suit the administrative and law enforcement needs of the newly formed state. Over the years, the Andhra Pradesh Police evolved with the creation of specialized units such as the CID, Greyhounds (for anti-Naxal operations), and the Octopus (for counter-terrorism). The state has also taken initiatives in digitization, community policing, and use of forensic science. After the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, leading to the formation of Telangana, the Andhra Pradesh Police was reorganized to serve the residuary state, continuing its modernization efforts and public safety initiatives.