KK Rao is new Gurugram police commissioner, says his focus is to improve traffic
KK Rao was the in-charge of the special task force that escorted Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to the CBI special court in Panchkula last year.
The Haryana government on Tuesday appointed 1996 batch IPS officer KK Rao as the new commissioner of Gurugram police. He will take charge on Wednesday morning.
KK Rao is a 1996 batch IPS officer.
Rao replaces Sandeep Khirwar, who has been transferred to Rohtak as the inspector general of police (IGP). A philosophy and psychology graduate from Kurukshetra University, Rao is from Bhiwani. This is his first posting in Gurugram. He started his career in Kurukshetra in 1989 and has worked in 14 districts.
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Rao said, “Along with the ongoing programmes launched by the previous officers, we will focus on checking crime in the city and improving traffic situation, which needs attention and will be taken on priority. Routine functioning of policing will not be ignored.”
He said crime mapping of the city would be conducted to identify the areas where snatchings, vehicle thefts and other crimes are often reported.
Rao was the in-charge of the special task force that escorted Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to the CBI special court in Panchkula last year.
Rao, who was posted as the IG of Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) at Bhondsi, will be the 7th commissioner of police for the city.
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
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