BHUBANESWAR: Senior IPS officer Sunil Kumar Bansal on Friday assumed charge as Odisha Director General of Police (DGP). The 1987 batch officer took the charge from outgoing DGP Abhay whose two-year tenure ended on Friday.
Bansal said that efforts will be made to ensure the upcoming panchayat elections are held smoothly. Focus will also be on curbing Left Wing extremism (LWE) by coordinating with neighbouring states.
The new DGP warned that stringent action will be taken against offences related to women and children, organised crimes and mafia operating in the State.
Bansal was on Central deputation and served as Special Director, Intelligence Bureau (IB), before being appointed for the top police post by the State government on December 15.
Meanwhile, government on Friday appointed outgoing DGP Abhay as Chairman of the State Task Force for narcotics drugs related matters. Abhay’s appointment is in the rank and status of the Chief Secretary.
In another development, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Additional Commissioner of Police Rekha Lohani has been appointed as ADG of Crime against Women and Children Wing (CAW&CW) of Odisha Police. Lohani has been replaced by Additional Transport Commissioner Niti Shekhar.