GP Singh To Be Assam's Next Police Chief

Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Gyanendra Pratap Singh will be the next Director General of Police (DGP) of Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday.

Mr Singh, currently a special DGP in the state police force, will take over from Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, who retires at the end of this month.

Mr Sarma mentioned Mr Singh as the next DGP during a speech at a government function here.

When later asked by reporters about the new appointment, he said, "It is a routine affair..." "The notification was issued by the Home Department on Friday," Mr Sarma added, though the official order has not yet been shared with the media.

Mr Singh, expressing his gratitude for the appointment, said he will continue to give his best for the state.

"We will continue to work to maintain the momentum the state has gained in the last couple of years, especially in the past one-and-half-years under the current chief minister," he said.

Taking to Twitter, the senior IPS officer wrote: "With the blessings of Maa Kamakhya, I look forward to the opportunity of serving the people of Assam. Gratitude to the honourable chief minister of Assam for reposing trust in me to lead the glorious Assam Police." A 1991-batch Assam-Meghalaya cadre officer, Mr Singh had returned to Assam as the additional DGP (law and order) in December 2019 during the peak of anti-CAA protests in the state.

He was serving as the NIA's IGP in New Delhi before being rushed back to the state. He was also a part of the Special Protection Group (SPG) earlier.