Mumbai, Jan 3 (IANS) Sadanand Date, an IPS officer from the 1990 batch, on Saturday took over the Maharashtra Director General of Police from the incumbent Rashmi Shukla, whose tenure concluded on January 3.

Date will have been appointed to the post for two years, irrespective of his retirement date. He will turn 60 in December next year. “The Maharashtra Police Force will become even more capable with his leadership and experience,” said the DGP office in a post on X.

The state government on December 31 had issued an order announcing the appointment of Date, who is a former National Investigation Agency (NIA) director general, as Maharashtra’s director general of police (DGP) on a two-year term.

According to the government order, Date has been appointed to the post for two years, irrespective of his retirement date.

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 repatriated 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 the Mumbai terror attacks, Date was serving as the Additional Commissioner of Police (Central Region) 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 holds a doctorate in Economic Offences from Pune University, takes over as the state DGP when local body elections are being held.

Born into a humble household, Date spent his childhood delivering newspapers to make ends meet.

According to media reports, his mother worked as a domestic helper. A bright student, 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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