Kolkata, March 7 Inspector General Anil Kumar Harbola has assumed charge as Commander Coast Guard Region (North East).
Harbola replaced Inspector General Rajan Bargotra, who has now taken over as Coast Guard Commander (Western Seaboard) at Mumbai on promotion to the rank of Additional Director General, an official statement said on Saturday.
Harbola is a 1988 batch Direct Entry Coast Guard officer, and has the experience of commanding four Coast Guard ships.
In 1998, while commanding Coast Guard Ship Tarabai, he apprehended hijacked Japanese merchant vessel 'Alondra Rainbow' along with the hijackers after chasing the vessel for almost a thousand km in Arabian sea, a maritime record.
Prior to assuming the present assignment, he served as Chief of Staff at Headquarters, Coast Guard Eastern Seaboard at Vishakhapatnam.
( With inputs from IANS )