Chennai , 03 June (H.S.):
Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal on Wednesday assumed charge as the Director General of Police (DGP) and Head of Police Force (HoPF) of Tamil Nadu, ending a prolonged period during which the state functioned without a full-time police chief.
Taking charge at the Tamil Nadu Police Headquarters in Chennai, Aggarwal thanked Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay for entrusting him with the responsibility of leading the state police force.
Addressing reporters after assuming office, the newly appointed DGP outlined his priorities, stressing the importance of maintaining law and order, combating the menace of narcotics, and intensifying action against crimes targeting women and cyber-related offences.
“We will ensure law and order, strengthen drug control measures, and take severe action against crimes against women and cybercrimes,” Aggarwal said. He also appealed to the public to cooperate with the police in preserving peace and public order across the state.
Aggarwal’s appointment comes a day after the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved his repatriation from the Border Security Force (BSF) to his parent Tamil Nadu cadre with immediate effect. Before returning to the state, he was serving as Special Director General of the BSF and was additionally holding charge of the force’s Eastern Command headquartered in Kolkata.
The state had been without a regular DGP since the retirement of Shankar Jiwal in August 2025. Subsequently, G. Venkataraman was appointed as in-charge DGP, a decision that sparked discontent among some senior officers. During the recently concluded Assembly elections, the Election Commission appointed Sandeep Rai Rathore as the state police chief, and he continued in the post even after the formation of the new government.
Last week, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) cleared a panel comprising Rajeev Kumar, Sandeep Rai Rathore and Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal for appointment as Tamil Nadu DGP.
A 1994-batch IPS officer, Aggarwal has previously served in several key positions, including Commissioner of Police in Chennai and Madurai.
In a related reshuffle, Sandeep Rai Rathore has been posted as Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services, while K. Shankar has been transferred as Additional Director General of Police, Enforcement Bureau-CID.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman