Surajit Kar Purkayastha takes charge as DGP

Surajit Kar Purkayastha, the IPS of 1985 batch, has become the Director General of Police. 

Purkayastha succeeded GMP Reddy who will retire on Tuesday.

 There had been a buzz among the rank and file of the state police that who would become the next DGP. On Monday Purkayastha has been made the DGP of the state along with the reshuffle in three other DG and IGP level posts.

Purakayastha, the Electrical Engineer from IIT Kharagpur, had served in various posts as an IPS officer after initiating his career as the SDPO of Bolpur in Birbhum.  

The IPS officer, who is known for his contact with policemen of all rank, had worked as ASP in districts including Barrackpore, Asansol and South 24-Parganas and SP of Howrah district.

 

He had also worked with the Intelligence Branch for many years. He is one of the few IPS officers those worked for Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in Iran.  

Purkayastha is still known for his revival that he had brought in the traffic management in Kolkata being the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the city police’s traffic department. 

He had been to England when he was DC Traffic to take lesson on traffic management. He was the man behind introducing the “Taxi Refusal Squad” for the first time to check the menace of taxi refusal in the city. The rank and file still follows the tactics he had taken up to solve different crime cases during his tenure as the DC of the Kolkata Police’s detective Department. 

He had also served in key posts including IG South Bengal and IG (Law and Order) before being promoted as ADG (Law and Order). 

He had become the commissioner of the Kolkata Police in February 2013 replacing Ranjit Kumar Pachnanda. The city had witnessed implementation of various new and updated techniques to ensure safety and security of the citizens after he had returned to the Kolkata Police after a long gap. He had always given stress on friendly attitude of the police towards a common citizen that helped in better policing. 

After serving the Kolkata Police as CP for three years till January 29, he was posted as DG and IGP in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) ahead of the Assembly elections in the state. On Monday, he has become the DGP. 

It is learnt that Purkayastha will take up the charge as DGP of the state on Tuesday. 

Besides Purkayastha, Raj Kanojia has been made the Commandant General, DG and IGP of Home Guards replacing DP Tarenia. He has been given the additional charge of DG and IGP Coastal Security. Tarenia has been made the new Dg and IGP of the State Crime Records Bureau and CV Muralidhar, who was DG and IGP Armed Police, has become the new Advisor, Security and Vigilance (WBSEDCL).