SHILLONG:
Lajja Ram Bishnoi, an IPS officer of 1991 batch, assumed office as the new Director General of Police (DGP) of Meghalaya, on May 20.
Speaking to The Meghalayan, he said he would be reviewing the prevailing situation before deciding on any course of action. “I joined only this evening. And will have to review the prevailing situation before going forward,” he said.
Earlier on May 17, The Meghalayan had reported that Bishnoi will be taking charge this week. “I will join within this week. It will be an opportunity for me to work in Meghalaya. I like the state and its people even though I have never worked there,” the DGP had said.
Prior to be appointed as the state’s DGP, Bishnoi served as the Special Director General of Police (Training & Armed Police), Assam, and was also the in-charge Inspector General of Police (IGP) of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
For the past several years, there had been much hue and cry over the appointment of a full-fledged DGP in Meghalaya. On February 9, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had recommended the names of three senior Assam-Meghalaya cadre IPS officers for the post – Mukesh Agrawal, KV Singh Deo (both 1989 batch IPS officers) and L Ram Bishnoi (1991 batch) – who have been serving with the Assam government. Of the three, only Agrawal has served in Meghalaya.
The last full-fledged DGP of Meghalaya was R Chandranathan, who retired on December 31, 2021. Following his retirement, Idashisha Nongrang, an IPS officer of the 1992 batch, had taken over as special DGP on January 1 and is still continuing to head the police department.