New Delhi: The government on Wednesday appointed senior IPS officer Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar as new chief of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), two days after the force lost 25 men in a deadly Maoist attack in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.
Bhatnagar, a 1983 batch officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, was appointed to the post nearly two months after the retirement of previous incumbent K. Durga Prasad on February 28.
Prasad headed the force as its chief for one year from March 1, 2016 to February 28, 2017.
Additional Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia, a 1981 batch IPS officer, was handling additional charge as CRPF director general.
Bhatnagar is currently serving as director general of the Narcotics Control Bureau - an ADG rank post which has temporarily been upgraded to a special director general (SDG) rank.
Senior IPS officer R.K. Pachnanda was also appointed as the DG of Indo Tiben Border Police force.
Pachnanda is a 1983 batch IPS officer of West Bengal cadre.
(With inputs from PTI and IANS)