New Delhi, January 30
Senior IPS officer Gyanendra Pratap Singh who is taking over as the new chief of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been face changer of Assam Police during his leadership with the state police. GP Singh has become a name synonymous with the force leading from the front.
GP Singh took over as the DG Assam Police in January 2023 and since then the Assam Police saw a sea of development in law and order, border security, people centric initiatives and many measures that directly connected people with police.
Singh is among the few officers who believed in connecting with his personnel in khakhi and even citizens directly. His overall approach to policing in the state brought notable reduction in crime rates, coupled with faster investigations, higher detection rates, increased charge sheets, and an improved conviction rate.
His leadership brought a remarkable improvement in law and order, resulting in increased investment, a boost in tourism, and a 15.6% increase in the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for the last financial year. Additionally, the oil sector losses have been reduced by 99%.
During the elections, The Dima Hasao Autonomous Council Election (2024) was successfully conducted on January 2, 2024. Assam SAP Coys Deployment: 35 Assam SAP Coys were deployed for peaceful elections in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Bihar for the GPE-2024.
Assam Police ensured dedicated security for high-profile visits by the Prime Minister (February 3rd & March 8th) and Union Home Minister (January 2nd, March 14th & 15th). Bye Elections in Assam (2024) for 5 Legislative Assembly Constituencies were conducted peacefully. The police also led to removal of encroachment from iconic places of cultural importance and forest area: 238 sq. km.
Assam is a sensitive state sharing borders with six other states. After Singh's arrival in Assam, there was a sharp reduction in public unrest, with dharnas being almost non existent. Significant improvement in the insurgency situation, with no civilian or security force casualties reported since 2023. At the insurgency front, there were multiple seizure of weapon and surrender of extremist. No new extremist group was reported to have surfaced or found existing. Interestingly, there were zero instances of rhino poaching, highlighting the commitment to wildlife protection after he set up the Rhino Protection Force in the state.
Singh's approach was not limited to law and order but his thoughts for the upgradation of the Assam Police and its personnel was also appreciated by many quarters of the force. He truly believed in strengthening the police force. During his tenure, five new commando battalions has enhanced operational capabilities.
A massive recruitment drive has led to the appointment of 5,753 personnel, including 332 ex-servicemen, with a further 6,239 posts under process.
He also shared a thought of ensuring good health of the personnel in Assam Police is among the first officers in the force to start a dedicated medical checkup and measures for the personnel. As the Chief of the force, he started the initiative by enrolling himself for the same. A BMI measurement drive for police personnel has led to improved physical fitness across the force.
He also ensured the Assam Police made focused efforts were made to enhance the capabilities of the police force through increased training, ensuring better preparedness for various challenges.
The Assam Police also perform dedicated actions have been taken against child marriage with two special drives. A comprehensive Grievance Redressal Mechanism has been implemented to address public concerns efficiently and promote transparency.
A total of 146 trap cases have been registered, resulting in 261 arrests, including public servants, middlemen, and officers, with a cash recovery of Rs. 64,742,050.
Keeping in view of the the Government's zero tolerance policy for narcotics in the country, Assam Police under GP Singh carried out significant operations for countering narcotics. A vigorous campaign against drugs has resulted in 5,427 cases being registered, with 8,769 arrests and a recovery valued at Rs. 1,304.73 crore.
He also exhibited zero tolerance towards corruption and the vigilance under his leadership was so strong and proactive that even personnel from the force were held for corruption under his tenure.
Singh is also one of the senior IPS officers, who is active on social media and has 214.7k followers on X. He used to even interact with the citizens and respond to their grievances and queries directly ad ensure timely police help reached them.
An IPS officer of 1991 batch of Assam-Meghalaya cadre, Singh has led several key posts in the Assam Police earlier and worked with the SPG. Since 2013, he was on central deputation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) where he served as Inspector General for 6 years. He played a pivotal role in the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) high-profile crackdown on the Hurriyat Conference and terror funding networks in 2017 in Kashmir.
Known as a tough cop, Singh was instrumental in instilling professionalism and a forthcoming approach in the officers and personnel of Assam Police. With his rich experience in countering insurgency, terrorism and extremism, his posting as DG CRPF is expected to boost the ongoing work of CRPF in the to eliminate left wing extremism and operations against the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.
