7 days ago
Himachal DGP Verma retires sans official farewell
Himachal Pradesh director general of police (DGP) Atul Verma got no official farewell on his retirement on Saturday. Also, an order issued by Verma awarding DGP Disc to 172 police personnel was withdrawn hours later.
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had on May 27 directed Verma, additional chief secretary (ACS) Onkar Chand Sharma and Shimla superintendent of police (SP) Sanjeev Gandhi to proceed on leave. The development came amid a slugfest within the state police force triggered by the probe into the death of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) chief engineer-cum-general manager Vimal Negi, who died under suspicious circumstances in March this year.
Meanwhile, the government has officially handed over the additional charge of the DGP to IPS Ashok Tiwari. Chief secretary Prabodh Saxena issued related orders on Saturday which mentioned that Tiwari would look after the work of DGP till further orders.
The state government had formed a panel of three senior IPS officers — Shyam Bhagat Negi, Ashok Tiwari and Rakesh Agarwal — who are being seen frontrunners for post of DGP.
Meanwhile, DGP Atul Verma, before retiring, issued an order awarding DGP Disc to 172 police personnel, but it was soon withdrawn by Tiwari. The order issued by Verma read, 'On the recommendations of the committee constituted for the award of DGP Disc-2024, 172 police officers/ officials were awarded with the DGP Disc in recognition of their outstanding work during year 2024.'
DGP (jail) SR Ojha also retired on Saturday. The chief secretary issued an order for handing over the additional charge of the jail department to ADGP (law and order) Abhishek Trivedi.
