Prashant Kumar new acting DGP of Uttar Pradesh

Prashant Kumar marks the fourth consecutive acting DGP for the state as he succeeds DGP Vijaya Kumar, who retires on Wednesday.

Notably, Prashant Kumar has won this year’s President’s Medal for Gallantry on Republic Day for his role in apprehending four people linked to the kidnapping of a doctor from a prominent hospital in Delhi back in 2017. The gallantry award was conferred alongside Deputy Inspector General of Police Manzil Saini.

In 2020, Prashant Kumar was appointed the Additional DG (Law and Order), and following his promotion, he assumed the position of DG in the same domain in January this year.

Since the removal of the 1987 batch IPS officer Mukul Goel in May, 2022, as the state’s police chief, the state government has not yet appointed a full-time DGP. Action was taken against Goel following allegation that he had been disregarding government work and not taking interest in departmental duties.

D S Chauhan took over as acting DGP after Goel. But upon Chauhan’s retirement in April 2023, R K Vishwakarma served as the acting DGP for one month before the appointment of Vijaya Kumar on May 31, 2023.