1996 batch IPS officer Abhinav Kumar has been appointed as the new Director General of Police (DGP) of Uttarakhand. The Pushkar Singh Dhami-led state government issued the order on 29 November. Mr Kumar will take charge on 1 December.
He will fill the place of Mr. Ashok Kumar, an IPS officer of 1989 batch, who is retiring today, 30 November, 2023.
Mr. Kumar is currently serving as the Additional Director General of Police, Intelligence and Security. And now, along with the present charge, he will also serve as acting DGP of the state, till further orders.
The names of IPS officers Deepam Seth and PVK Prasad were leading in the race for Uttarakhand DGP, but, in the end, government announced the name of Mr. Abhinav Kumar.
In 2020, when the entire country was struggling with the pandemic, IPS Ashok Kumar took charge as Uttarakhand DGP.
WHO IS ABHINAV KUMAR?
Born on 31 August, 1973, Mr. Kumar hails from Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. He is BA with Honours in Philosophy and Economics.
He is counted among the best police officers of the state. He has also been the secretary of CM Pushkar Singh Dhami.
He has served in various capacities, including as IG, Garhwal and president of the IPS Association (Uttarakhand).
He has also served in BSF on central deputation. When Section 370 was removed from Jammu and Kashmir, he was serving as IG, BSF in the valley.
He has been superintendent of police of various districts in Uttarakhand. He became DIG in 2009 and IG in 2014.
He has also served as the SP of Haridwar and Dehradun. For some time, he also served on the post of IG Garhwal.
Almost 9 years ago, his name came in news when he made a statement regarding police in Satyamev Jayate programme. He also wrote a letter to actor Shahrukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan to apologize, when his name came up in a drug case and a media trial had started. However, Aryan was freed of all the charges later.
