SPG chief Arun Kumar Sinha passes away in Gurgaon hospital

A senior officer said Sinha was not well for the past few months and was being treated at the Medanta Cancer Institute.

New Delhi | Updated: September 6, 2023 10:29 IST

Sinha, who also worked with the Border Security Force (BSF), spent most of his career in Kerala and was also in charge of the protection of women and Non-Resident Indian affairs, an official said. (Source: Arun Kumar Sinha/Facebook)

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Arun Kumar Sinha, the director of the Special Protection Group (SPG), passed away at Gurgaon’s Medanta Hospital early Wednesday. He was 61.

A senior officer said Sinha was not well for the past few months and was being treated at the Medanta Cancer Institute. His family members are present in the hospital and other senior government officials and his batchmates have been informed about his death, added the official.

Sinha, a Kerala cadre IPS officer of the 1987 batch, was the additional director general of police (Special Service and Traffic) in the state when he was asked in 2016 by the Centre to head the SPG, which handles the security of the Prime Minister. Before he joined, there was no full-time chief of SPG for around 15 months.

A day before his retirement on May 30 this year, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) led by PM Narendra Modi had approved the proposal for the re-employment of Sinha for one year. In 2022, the ACC had cleared an extension in temporary upgradation for Sinha as DG (SPG) till May 31, 2023.

Sinha, who also worked with the Border Security Force (BSF), spent most of his career in Kerala and was also in charge of the protection of women and Non-Resident Indian affairs, an official said.

The SPG is an elite force, specifically raised for the protection of the country’s Prime Minister, former PMs, and their immediate family. The force is currently 3,000 strong and it was started in 1985 in the wake of the killing of then PM Indira Gandhi in 1984.

Mahender Singh Manral

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

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SPG chief Arun Kumar Sinha passes away in Gurgaon hospital

A senior officer said Sinha was not well for the past few months and was being treated at the Medanta Cancer Institute.

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