Guwahati: The 1991 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Gyanendra Pratap Singh will be the next Director General of Police (DGP) of Assam. He is currently the Special DGP, Law and Order, will take over from Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, who retires at the end of this month.

Taking to Twitter, Singh wrote: “With the blessings of Maa Kamakhya, I look forward to the opportunity of serving the people of Assam. Gratitude to the honourable chief minister of Assam for reposing trust in me to lead the glorious Assam Police.”

Singh, an officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre, had returned to Assam as the Additional DGP (law and order) in December 2019 from his Central deputation during the peak anti-CAA protests in the state. He had earlier worked in the National Investigation Agency and the Special Protection Group (SPG).

A notification was also issued by the Home Department on Saturday naming Singh as the new DGP. Singh's appointment will come into effect from February one with Mahanta retiring on January 31, the notification, signed by Principal Secretary, Home and Political department, Niraj Verma said.

Singh, expressing his gratitude for the appointment, said he will continue to give his best for the state. “We will continue to work to maintain the momentum the state has gained in the last couple of years, especially in the past one-and-half-years under the current chief minister," he said. /BI/