Haryana names Sibash Kabiraj new Gurugram police commissioner

The 1999-batch IPS officer replaces Vikas Arora amid rising challenges related to cybercrime and urban policing.

The Haryana government on Sunday appointed senior IPS officer Sibash Kabiraj as the new commissioner of police, Gurugram, replacing Vikas Arora in a major administrative reshuffle involving over 20 Indian Police Service and Haryana Police Service officers across the state.

Kabiraj previously served as Panchkula police commissioner and earlier held multiple senior postings across Haryana. (HT)

According to orders issued by the Haryana home department, Kabiraj, a 1999-batch IPS officer of the Haryana cadre, has been transferred from the post of commissioner of police, Panchkula. Outgoing Gurugram police commissioner Vikas Arora has been posted as additional director general of police (administration), Panchkula.

The reshuffle comes at a time when Gurugram Police are dealing with increasing challenges related to cybercrime, traffic congestion, rapid urbanisation, corporate security and law-and-order management.

Kabiraj, who hails from Ranchi, Jharkhand, completed mechanical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur and later pursued LLB and LLM degrees from Kurukshetra University. He joined the service on September 20, 1999, and was promoted as inspector general of police in May 2017.

Over two decades, Kabiraj has served across Haryana as assistant superintendent of police in Karnal, Kaithal and Faridabad and as superintendent of police in Karnal, Hisar, Yamunanagar, Faridabad, Mewat, Ambala and Bhiwani. He also handled responsibilities related to commandos, the State Crime Branch and the State Vigilance Bureau. As deputy inspector general, he served as joint commissioner of police in Gurugram. As inspector general, he served as director of the Forensic Science Laboratory, Haryana; IG Haryana Highway Patrol and Road Safety; and IG Haryana Armed Police.

Kabiraj also served on deputation with the Ministry of External Affairs as regional passport officer, Chandigarh, from 2017 till February 2023, receiving the Best Regional Passport Officer Award for four consecutive years between 2019 and 2022.

“I have certain plans and priorities for Gurugram, but I would like to discuss them in detail once I officially join and review the situation on the ground,” Kabiraj said.

As part of the reshuffle, senior IPS officer KK Rao has been posted to RTC Bhondsi, while senior IPS officer Charu Bali has been appointed as ADGP, Bhondsi Police Complex, Gurugram.