Mumbai, Dec 31 (IANS) Former National Investigation Agency (NIA) director general Sadanand Date has been appointed as Maharashtra’s director general of police (DGP) for a two-year term, the state government announced on Wednesday.

Date, a 1990 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, will take over from incumbent Rashmi Shukla when she completes her tenure on January 3.

According to the government order, Date has been appointed to the post for two years, irrespective of his retirement date. He will turn 60 in December next year.

Date was the chief of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) until March 2024, when he moved to New Delhi to lead NIA, India’s anti-terrorism agency. He was sent back to Maharashtra two weeks ago at the request of the state government, which wanted to appoint him as the state’s DGP.

Date is widely hailed as one of the heroes of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. On November 26, 2008, during Mumbai terror attacks, Date was serving as the Additional Commissioner of Police (Central Region) in 2008. He had led a police team that pinned down Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail on the rooftop of Cama Hospital and despite being severely injured by grenade splinters, he continued to engage the terrorists. He was later honoured with the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry.

Date had served in the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and was the first Commissioner of Police for Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar. He also served the Mumbai Police as Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) and Crime, DIG in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and IG (Operations) in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Date, who is a doctorate in Economic Offences from Pune University, takes over as the state DGP when the local body elections are being held. Date was born into a humble household and spent his childhood delivering newspapers to make ends meet. His mother worked as a domestic helper, as per the media reports.

He cleared the UPSC exam and joined the IPS. He went on to specialise in economic and organised crime, earning a doctorate in economic offences from Pune University.

–IANS

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