Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar appointed new CRPF chief after Sukma attack

The government on Wednesday appointed senior IPS officer Rajiv 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.

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Additional Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia, a 1981 batch IPS officer, was handling additional charge as CRPF Director General. 

Prasad headed the force as its chief for one year from March 1, 2016 to February 28, 2017. 

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 rank.