New Delhi, May1
The Himachal Pradesh Government is all set to appoint a new Director General of Police in HP after the retirement of incumbent Sanjay Kundu. Himachal Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjay Kundu hung his boots in a grand ceremony at the Police headquaetes in Shimla.
The top three contenders for the post are said to be senior IPS officers of the cadre- SR Ojha (1991 batch), Tapan Kumar Deka (1988 batch) and Shyam Bhagat Negi (1990 batch).
The HP government sent names of Ojha, Deka and Negi to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) that has agreed to their candidatures. As per the Supreme Court instructions, the state government will select one IPS officer out of three for the top post.
An officer of the 1991 batch, Kundu is credited with bringing in key chnges in Himachal Pradesh police that won best CCTN (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network) in the hilly stated for three consecutive years. The HP Police is also one of leading forces in sucessul and useful implementation of the IMTS for traffic management. Kundu's vision and theory of ‘Broken Window’ for effective crime control that was sucessful phenomenon in the US.
His impetus to crimes against women and children and special tourist police outpost was appreciated and implemented by other state police forces too. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had also credited Sanjay Kundu for his effective policing in Himachal Pradesh.
In December 2023, the Himachal Pradesh High Court ordered Sanjay Kundu’s removal from his position as DGP after businessman Nishant Sharma filed a plea. However, Kundu challenged the high court’s decision in the Supreme Court, which stayed the order in January.
Going by the discussions, it is highly likely that SR Ojha might get the top post who has recently returned from deputation after serving as Additional Director General (ADG) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) last year.and is batchmate of Kundu. Ojha is DG Prisons at present and was also given post of DGP HP Police for 13 days when Kundu had taken leave in April before his retirement.
Another top contender for the post is said to be Tapan Kumar Deka , the Chief of the Intelligence Bureau who is scheduled to retire on June 30. Negi is also on central deputation and is posted as Special Secretary at the Cabinet Secreteriat in Government of India.
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