Delhi police commissioner Sanjay Arora retires, reflects on career and service

Sanjay Arora served in Tamil Nadu Police, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Services Selection Board (SSB), Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) branches

New Delhi: Delhi police commissioner Sanjay Arora retired on Thursday, marking the end of a career spanning nearly 37 years.

Sanjay Arora is a 1988-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre (HT photo)

Expressing his gratitude during a farewell parade held at the New Police Lines in Kingsway Camp, Arora said, “Only after I left police training and joined a police station did I learn how to prevent crimes on streets, catch criminals, handle court proceedings, fight for police rights, manage the police force, and deal with criminals with sensitivity, etc.”

Shashi Bhushan Kumar Singh, the director general of Home Guards in Delhi, will assume the additional charge of Delhi Police commissioner from Friday, a Union home ministry order said on Thursday.

The Delhi government’s home department had issued a notice on July 31 announcing Arora’s retirement, citing his attainment of the age of superannuation

Arora, a 1988-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, has served in key positions in Tamil Nadu Police, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and other branches of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

Speaking about his three-year tenure at Delhi Police, he said, “Delhi Police is an excellent force. During G20, you showed how strong and capable you are. Whichever elections came... you showed how you were able to maintain peace while being calm, patient, and organised. You diligently followed Election Commission rules.”

“I was able to serve at key agencies such as ITBP, BSF, SSB, CRPF, etc. As I’m retiring, I think of those experiences. With friends there, I worked in thick jungles, icy mountains, and tried to understand issues there and work for national security and against anti-national elements. Some of my friends also sacrificed their lives,” he added and paid tribute to officers who lost their lives in police encounters and on duty.