R P Sharma appointed new DGP of Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Dr Rajendra Prasad Sharma will take over as Odisha’s new director general of police. The 1986 batch Odisha cadre IPS officer will replace K B Singh, who has been posted as chairman-cum-managing director of Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC), according to an official notification issued on Wednesday.

“It is a challenging task and I will try to do my best to provide good policing to the people of Odisha,” R P Sharma told mediapersons, shortly after he was appointed to the coveted post. Official sources said he is likely to take charge on Thursday morning.

The state government picked R P Sharma, currently serving as director of vigilance, ahead of his batchmate and special DG (crime branch) B K Sharma, who has been appointed as director general (prisons). Similarly, additional DG (prisons) Arun Ray, an IPS officer of 1988 batch, has been attached posted as additional director general (headquarters).

Singh, who succeeded Sanjeev Marik as DGP in November 2015, was in Sambalpur to review anti-Maoist operations when the state government announced that R P Sharma would be elevated to the top job. Singh has in recent months faced allegations of violation of recruitment and transfer rules from subordinate officers.

R P Sharma, formerly commissioner of police for Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, has served as superintendent of police in Kalahandi, Berhampur, Dhenkanal and Balasore; DIG of police, crime branch. He has also worked as zonal director, Narcotics Control Bureau, at Jodhpur and effected seizures of a record quantity of illicit drugs with arrest of several international drug traffickers. He also worked as IG of Police (Headquarters) in National Security Guard (NSG), New Delhi; in United Nation’s Peacekeeping Mission in Haiti, Central America and as anti-corruption and crime prevention expert in the UNODC, Regional Office for South Asia at New Delhi. He is a recipient of President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service (January, 2010), Police Medal for Meritorious Service (January, 2002), U.N. Peacekeeping Medal (1997), Police Special Duty Medal (2012) and Commendation Disc of DG, NSG.