The Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday appointed 1991-batch IPS officer Rajeev Krishna as full-time Director General of Police (DGP), two days after receiving a panel of three names from the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for the job.
The BJP government in the state has been facing strong criticism and even litigations for not having appointed a permanent DGP since 2022. Mukul Goel, the last full-time DGP, was removed by the government from the post in 2022 on various charges, including being inefficient to bear the responsibility as head of the department. Since then, five IPS officers — D S Chauhan, R K Vishwakarma, Vijay Kumar, Prashant Kumar, and Krishna himself — have served as acting DGP.
Krishna has been serving as the state’s acting DGP since May 31 last year. His name was in the UPSC-approved panel sent to the government on Friday.
Last week, the UPSC held a meeting of all its members to decide a panel of senior-most IPS officers to be listed for the top post of the country’s largest police force. The meeting was also attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary SP Goel and Additional Chief Secretary (Home Department) Sanjay Prasad.
The order on the appointment of the DGP was issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad on Sunday.
An engineering graduate, Krishna has held different responsibilities in the state police and has served on central deputation as well.
He has also held the posts of superintendent of police (SP) and senior superintendent of police (SSP) in various districts, including Firozabad, Agra, Lucknow, and Mathura.
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He was the first head of the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) when it was established in 2008. Also, he has headed the BSF’s Jammu frontier, considered one of the most crucial border points close to Pakistan.
Before assuming charge as acting DGP, he was head of the state Vigilance Establishment and the UP Police Recruitment and Promotion Board. He was lauded by the Chief Minister for successfully conducting the recruitment of 60,000 police personnel amid incidents of paper leak and irregularities.
While taking charge as acting DGP last year, Krishna had set 10 priorities, including tackling cyber crimes, crimes against women, streamlining traffic system, and introducing technology-based policing. He says most of his priorities have gained momentum and that he reviews their progress every month through nodal officers.
Bhupendra Pandey is the Resident Editor of the Lucknow edition of The Indian Express. With decades of experience in the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s journalistic landscape, he oversees the bureau’s coverage of India’s most politically significant state. His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of state governance, legislative policy, and grassroots social movements. From tracking high-stakes assembly elections to analyzing administrative shifts in the Hindi heartland, Bhupendra’s reportage provides a definitive lens on the region's evolution.
Authoritativeness He leads a team of seasoned reporters and investigators, ensuring that The Indian Express’ signature "Journalism of Courage" is reflected in every regional story. His leadership is central to the Lucknow bureau’s reputation for breaking stories that hold the powerful to account, making him a trusted figure for policy analysts, political scholars, and the general public seeking to understand the nuances of UP’s complex landscape.
Trustworthiness & Accountability Under his stewardship, the Lucknow edition adheres to the strictest standards of factual verification and non-partisan reporting. He serves as a bridge between the local populace and the national discourse, ensuring that regional issues are elevated with accuracy and context. By prioritizing primary-source reporting and on-the-ground verification, he upholds the trust that readers have placed in the Express brand for nearly a century. ... Read More
