Bhubaneswar: A career spanning 33 and a half years in the Indian Police Service has been challenging yet very satisfying and eventful, senior Odisha-cadre IPS officer and outgoing Director of Biju Patnaik State Police Academy (BPSPA) Arun Kumar Sarangi said here on Monday.
Sarangi, who was granted voluntary retirement by state government 10 months ahead of his superannuation said, “I have spent more than seven years at the academy (BPSPA) and trained 15 batches (more than 2500 police personnel). Happy to have been able to inculcate values and make them competent professionals.”
Following a grand farewell at BPSPA, Sarangi, a 1990-batch IPS officer said that a crucial stint in his career was into anti-Maoist operations starting with DIG North-Central Range (Talcher) to IG Operations and IG Intelligence in Odisha police.
“I have been associated with anti-Maoist operations since 2000 when left wing extremism in Odisha was at its peak. We were quite successful in curbing their Maoist activities and laying a foundation for the future (especially in Malkangiri district), during my tenure as DIG Talcher from 2005 to 2008 and as IG Police from 2012 to 2016,” said Sarangi.
He thanked colleagues in Odisha police with whom he has worked for their “support, service and sacrifice”. The top cop paid an emotional tribute to brave-hearts of Odisha police who laid down their lives in the line of duty.
It may be noted that Odisha government has appointed Sarangi as the Chairman of Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) and senior IPS officer Sanjib Panda has been appointed as Director, BPSPA.
Sarangi will remain Chairman of the OPSC for a term of six years from the date he enters office or until he attains the age of sixty-two years, whichever is earlier.