Who will be Uttar Pradesh's next DGP after Prashant Kumar's retirement? Check shortlisted names doing the rounds

Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar is retiring on May 31. Known for his expertise in curbing crime, his retirement comes as a setback, and discussions are underway about his successor's appointment.  The appointment of Uttar Pradesh's DGP hangs in balance, with the government deciding whether to follow the new cabinet rules or send a panel to the UPSC. Currently, no panel has been sent to the UPSC, and the formation of a DGP selection committee under the new rules is pending. Several senior IPS officers are reportedly in contention for the top post. There's also speculation about a potential service extension for Prashant Kumar, as there is the provision that any officer can be given a three-month extension with the permission of the Government of India. 

Speculations suggest officers like Sandeep Salunke, Daljit Singh Chaudhary, and Renuka Mishra are frontrunners for the DGP post, followed by others including MK Bashal, Tilottama Verma, and Alok Sharma. With three DG-rank officers, including current DGP Prashant Kumar, retiring in May, a major shift in the IPS seniority list is expected, potentially elevating Salunke, Chaudhary, and Mishra to top positions.

Strong contenders for the DGP position include Daljit Singh Chaudhary (DG of BSF), Alok Sharma (head of SPG), and Rajiv Krishna (chairman of UP Police Recruitment and Promotion Board). Notably, Tilottama Verma, DG Training with CBI experience, could become UP's first woman DGP. Chaudhary and Sharma have six months left before retirement, while Krishna has four years remaining. Verma also has six months left in her tenure.

Meanwhile, Prashant Kumar, a 1990-batch IPS officer, the current UP DGP is considered an "encounter specialist" with over 300 encounters. He holds three master's degrees: MSc in Applied Zoology, MBA in Disaster Management, and MPhil in Defense and Strategic Studies. He's a decorated officer, having received the President's Police Medal four times (2020-2023) and gallantry awards four times. Notably, he played a key role in solving a high-profile kidnapping case in 2017, rescuing Dr. Shrikant Gaur and apprehending the culprits.