Major IPS Reshuffle in Odisha Ahead of Elections: Sanjeeb Panda Appointed Twin-City Police Commissioner

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has effected a major shake-up in the state’s police leadership, strategically timed just months before the crucial Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. This reshuffle, announced today, sees veteran officers taking on new roles in key districts and departments.

The most notable appointment is that of Sanjeeb Panda (1994 batch) as the new police commissioner for Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, replacing Saumendra Priyadarsi (1995 batch), who now assumes the role of Director, Intelligence in Odisha with additional charge of CMD, OPHWC.

Key Rotations in IG Positions:

The reshuffle also brings changes to the Inspector General (IG) positions. Himanshu Kumar Lal (2003 batch) takes over as IG North Range at Sambalpur, while Deepak Kumar (2004 batch) shifts to the IG North Central Range at Talcher with additional charge of PTC, Angul. Satyabrata Bhoi (2004 batch) takes the helm of the Eastern Range at Balasore, and JN Pankaj (2005 batch) moves to the Southern Range at Berhampur while retaining additional charge of EOW and STF.

District SPs Reshuffled:

Several district Superintendent of Police (SP) positions have also been altered. Kanwar Vishal Singh (2010 batch) moves from Puri SP to DCP Cuttack, swapping roles with Pinak Mishra (2011 batch). Banoth Jugal Kishore Kumar (2011 batch) becomes the new SP of Kendrapara, Madkar Sandeep Sampat (2012 batch) takes over Dhenkanal, and Vivekananda Sharma (2014 batch) assumes the role of Additional IGP at Police Headquarters.

Other Notable Changes:

Dhenkanal SP Gyana Ranjan Mohapatra (OPS) moves to SP Special Branch in Bhubaneswar, while Sonepur SP Amaresh Kumar Panda (OPS) takes up the role of Additional IGP at State Police Headquarters. Deogarh SP PK Mishra (OPS) shifts to SRP, Rourkela, and Rama Prasad Sahoo (OPS) becomes the new SP of Deogarh. Harisha BC (2020 batch) takes charge as Rayagada SP and Yashpratap Shrimal (2020 batch) becomes the new SP of Sonepur.