Bhubaneswar, Dec 31 Arun Kumar Sarangi, senior IPS officer and the Director of Biju Patnaik State Police Academy (BPSPA), on Sunday assumed the additional charge as Director General of Odisha Police.
The 1990-batch IPS officer took the charge from Sunil Kumar Bansal, who retired from service on Sunday.
Sarangi will remain as the acting DGP till the joining of a regular DGP.
Bansal was given a ceremonial guard of honour after handing over charges to Sarangi at the state police headquarters in Cuttack. Both Sarangi and Bansal later met the senior IPS officers at the police headquarters.
Speaking to mediapersons, Bansal thanked the people of Odisha and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for reposing faith in him.
He said that the law and order condition in the state remained almost peaceful during his two-year term as the DGP.
Calling the Left-wing extremism as a challenge, he added that the state did not witness any major Maoist violence during his tenure. However, new bases were established in interior areas so Maoist influence declined in those areas.
"New challenges such as economic offences, illegal trade in drugs, cyber offences etc. have come before the police and to meet the challenges, the Chief Minister has approved the establishment of new police stations which have been operationalised too. Besides, the cyber helpline number 1093 has been strengthened. We have also launched a special drive to bring cyber awareness that turned out to be a big success. To ensure quick and timely police response, we also strengthen the '112' emergency call service and the response time of Odisha police is among the top three to four states in the country," Bansal said.
He said that the recruitment process in Odisha police was disrupted due to Covid-19, adding that that 4,600 Constables have been recruited in this year only.
Construction work of company bases, battalion bases, police stations, barracks has been going on by the Odisha State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation Limited.
Bansal said one of the biggest challenges before the Odisha police is to ensure peaceful general elections in 2024.
"I will ensure that no indifference was shown in crime prevention, investigation, law and order. I will ensure all the officers try to provide qualitative police service to people," Sarangi said.
Sarangi started his career as the Talcher SDPO and the Superintendent of Police in Rayagada, Berhampur, Jagatsinghpur, Bhubaneswar, Rourkela and Cuttack Crime Branch, Crime Investigation Department. He also held the post of IGP (law and order).
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