Rajeev Kumar, a Bengal cadre IPS officer of the 1989 batch, took over as the state’s director-general of police (DGP) on Thursday.
Incumbent Manoj Malviya handed over the responsibility to him at the state police headquarters in Bhabani Bhavan.
Unlike other such ceremonies, where journalists are allowed to take photographs and capture the moment of the handing over of the responsibility, media persons were not allowed inside the building on Thursday.
Many officers The Telegraph spoke to said Kumar was opposed to “exposure”.
“Sir does not like too much media exposure. That is his way of working,” said one of them.
Kumar, who has been given charge till the formalities of appointment of a regular DGP are over, started his day with a visit to the state secretariat at Nabanna, where he met the chief minister, chief secretary and the home secretary as part of the protocol.
Then he went to Bhabani Bhavan.
The 57-year-old officer has worked at Bhabani Bhavan for many years in various capacities such as deputy inspector general of police, CID (operations); and additional director-general of police (CID).
He stepped into the building as the Bengal director-general of police for the first time on Thursday.
The office of the DGP is located on the second floor of Bhabani Bhavan.
Sources in the state home department said Kumar took charge from Malviya, the retiring DGP, between 12.30pm and 12.40pm.
“According to the protocol, the outgoing DGP briefs the new officer about the state of affairs, pending jobs and various other issues of significance,” said a senior official in the home department.
After the formal briefing from the retiring director-general of police, Kumar met administrative staff officers at the police directorate before leaving for Nabanna again.
A former DGP told this newspaper that the post called for some basic protocols that must be maintained.
“The DGP has to be in Nabanna as long as the chief minister is in office. She can ask for the DGP, chief secretary or the home secretary at any time, as the situation demands,” said the retired police officer.
Along with Bhabani Bhavan, the DGP has an office on the 13th floor of Nabanna. The chief minister office is on the 14th floor of the building.
With the year-end just a couple of days away, a host of transfers, postings and promotions are due for officers of various ranks. According to the protocol, the DGP will oversee the proceedings although the process was initiated much before.
The transfer and promotion lists are likely to be issued soon so that officers can assume their new responsibilities on January 1, 2024.
An officer who has worked with Kumar said he had always been “non-conventional” in his approach.
“He has always focused on the welfare of the force and has introduced several investigation-oriented steps that have now become part of the protocol of crime investigation. We are hoping for similar steps that will be new in Bengal,” said the officer, who is of the rank of deputy inspector general of police.