New DGP Yogesh outlines priorities, plans for Odisha police

A day after taking charge as new Director General of Police (DGP), Yogesh Bahadur Khurania visited Puri and offered prayers at the Shree Jagannath temple on Saturday. He spoke to Asish Mehta about the new police battalion to be raised in the temple town, his priorities and the roadmap ahead for the state police force.

The new battalion for Shree Jagannath temple and its proximity has already been sanctioned and authorised by the state government. Our efforts will be to raise and deploy it in the shortest possible time. It will have around 1,083 police personnel. Formalities like where the manpower will be sourced from and name of the battalion would soon be decided. This new battalion will remain under the control of Puri SP and fast-paced efforts will be made to make it functional.

Director Intelligence and his operational team will give a presentation on Sunday on the current Naxal situation in Odisha. We will closely look at the situation and further steps will be initiated accordingly.

The top priorities will be to maintain law and order, prevent and detect crimes, emphasis to people belonging to the weaker sections of the society and offences against women and children.