Chennai, June 3 (IANS) Senior IPS officer Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal assumed charge as the Director General of Police (DGP) of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday morning, becoming the 34th officer to head the state police force.

He took charge at 10.45 A.M. at the DGP Headquarters on Kamarajar Salai in Chennai.

Aggarwal’s appointment comes in the aftermath of the recently-concluded Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, which were held in a single phase on April 23.

Following directives issued by the Election Commission during the poll period, senior IPS officer Sandeep Rai Rathore had been appointed as the officer incharge of the Tamil Nadu Police.

After the formation of the new government led by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the process to appoint a full-time DGP was initiated.

The state government forwarded a panel comprising Rajiv Kumar, Sandeep Rai Rathore and Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for consideration.

The UPSC, after deliberations at a meeting in New Delhi, approved the panel, following which the state government selected Aggarwal for the state’s top police post.

A 1994-batch IPS officer, Aggarwal brings with him more than three decades of policing experience across a variety of assignments in Tamil Nadu.

Born in Punjab, he holds a degree in Law and is also a qualified advocate. He is fluent in Tamil, English, Hindi and Punjabi. Throughout his career, Aggarwal has held several important positions and is known for his focus on modern policing and crime prevention.

He served as Deputy Commissioner of Police in Chennai for three years and also worked as Traffic Deputy Commissioner in the city and Superintendent of Police in Thoothukudi district.

He played a key role in expanding Chennai’s CCTV surveillance network, a move widely credited with strengthening crime detection and public safety in the city.

He also introduced the ‘Night Crime to Zero’ initiative aimed at reducing offences during late-night hours.

Aggarwal has handled and supervised several major investigations, including the high-profile Salem train robbery case.

In recognition of his distinguished service, he was awarded the Chief Minister’s Medal for Meritorious Service.

His appointment marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Tamil Nadu Police, with expectations that his extensive field experience and emphasis on technology-driven policing will further strengthen law enforcement and public security across the state.

—IANS

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