Y B Khurania Meets Odisha CM In Delhi; Is He Set To Become New DGP?

New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: Senior IPS Y B Khurania met Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in New Delhi on Tuesday, fueling speculations about his appointment as the next Director General of Police (DGP) of the state.

As per information, the 1990-batch IPS officer met the Chief Minister at Odisha Bhawan in the national capital. Majhi is on a three-day visit to New Delhi since Monday evening.

While there was no clear information as to what transpired between Khurania and the CM, the meeting sparked fresh speculations about the senior officer becoming the new police chief.

Significantly, the Central government recently approved premature repatriation of Khurania to his parent cadre Odisha with immediate effect. He was serving as Special Director General, Border Security Force (BSF).

His premature repatriation had fuelled speculation that he was the frontrunner to take over as the next DGP of the state.

At present, Odisha does not have a full-fledged DGP. Arun Kumar Sarangi has been functioning as DGP in-charge since December 31, 2023.

Khurania was serving as Additional DGP (Provisioning) in Odisha before proceeding on central deputation. He had earlier held several important posts in Odisha and served as Superintendent of Police of Nayagarh, Jajpur, Rourkela, Mayurbhanj and Ganjam districts.

He also served as DIG of southern range and northern range, Addl Commissioner of Police and Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack. He was also the Director, BPSPA-cum-IG Training.

Subsequently, the state government also set in motion the process for selection of a full-time DGP and asked the three senior-most IPS officers, currently serving in the state, to furnish their biodatas and other relevant information

The Odisha State Police Headquarters, in a letter asked 1989-batch officers Arun Ray and S M Narvane and 1990-batch officer Y B Khurania to furnish their biodatas “covering all the points in the prescribed format including academic achievements” for submission to state Home department.

The biodatas were sought as a precursor to convening of a meeting of the Empanelment Committee, which will recommend three names to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The UPSC would pick one of the three to take over as the next Director General of Police of Odisha.

Arun Sarangi, a 1990 batch IPS officer, is serving as in-charge head of the state police force since December, 2023.