On February 20th, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet issued a circular appointing IPS officer of UP cadre, Mr. Alok Sharma (1991 batch), as the Director General of the Special Protection Group (SPG) – the premium security division that protects the Prime Minister and his cavalcade.

The SPG is administered exclusively by the Cabinet Secretariat of the Central Government, and it has the reputation of being one of the most professional and modern security forces in the world. Mr. Sharma has been monitoring this unit since its former director, IPS Arun Kumar Sinha, passed away in September 2023. IPS Arun Kumar Sinha, a 1987 batch Kerala cadre IPS officer, had functioned as the longest-serving chieftain of the SPG (2016-2023).