Bhubaneswar: Crime Branch DG Vinaytosh Mishra assumed the additional charge of Director General of Police (DGP) and Head of Police Force on Sunday, succeeding Y B Khurania at the end of his two-year tenure.
Mishra expressed his gratitude to the state government for entrusting him with this critical responsibility and pledged to execute his duties smoothly and effectively.
Outlining his key priorities, he emphasized that women’s safety remains at the top of the administration’s agenda. He also announced major steps to combat cybercrime, noting that operations will become significantly more proactive following the establishment of the State Cyber Unit.
Furthermore, the in-charge DG highlighted the department’s firm commitment to building a drug-free Odisha through targeted anti-narcotic efforts.
Addressing immediate concerns regarding the ongoing flood situation, Mishra assured that Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams have already been deployed to vulnerable areas to assist affected populations. “Providing necessary relief and assistance to the people is our current priority,” he stated.
Reaffirming the department’s core ethos, he declared a “People First” approach, emphasising that the police force stands steadfastly beside the public in their times of distress.
The state government adopted an interim measure after the Supreme Court instructed the UPSC to suspend finalisation of the DGP selection panel pending an August 18 PIL hearing, which alleged the state attempted to include a junior officer in violation of the Prakash Singh guidelines.
Mishra, a 1993-batch officer, was ruled out of race for the next DGP post as he did not meet the criteria of minimum residual service of six months before his retirement date at the time of empanelment.
