Major Overhaul in Himachal Pradesh Police: 18 Senior Officers Transferred, 10 Transfers Revoked in Statewide Reshuffle
In a wide-ranging administrative shake-up, the Himachal Pradesh Government, led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has announced a major round of transfers and postings in the state police department. The order, issued on Sunday, includes the transfer of four Indian Police Service (IPS) officers and fourteen Himachal Pradesh Police Service (HPPS) officers. Additionally, the government has revoked the transfer orders of ten HPPS officers, marking one of the most extensive police reshuffles in recent months.
This move is seen as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to streamline the functioning of the state police force and to ensure effective law and order management across Himachal Pradesh.
Key HPPS Transfers
A total of 14 HPPS officers have been reassigned to new positions across various districts and police units in the state. Some of the major changes include:
Sagar Chander (2008 batch), previously serving as Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Mandi, has now been posted as ASP, 3rd Indian Reserve Battalion (IRBn), Pandoh.
Rajesh Kumar has been appointed Commandant, Homeguard, 9th Battalion, Dharamsala.
Bhopinder Singh Bragta will now serve as Commandant, Home Guards, State Headquarters, Shimla.
Pramod Chauhan has been transferred to ASP (Leave Reserve), Police Headquarters, Shimla.
Rattan Singh has been made ASP, Traffic Tourism and Railways, Shimla.
Ajay Kumar will serve as Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), 3rd IRBn, Pandoh.
Chander Shekhar takes over as DSP (Traffic), Shimla.
Rajeev Mehta has been posted as Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Anni.
Anil Kumar will work as Staff Officer, Office of Inspector General of Police, Northern Range, Dharamsala.
Anil Thakur has been transferred as DSP, 6th IRBn, Dhaulakuan.
Naveen Jhalta becomes SDPO, Darlaghat, Solan.
Harnam Singh has been assigned the role of DSP, State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB), Kinnaur.
Sanjeev Kumar Gautam is now DSP (Headquarters), Hamirpur.
These reassignments aim to optimize officer deployment in strategically significant districts and strengthen operational efficiency.
Ten HPPS Transfer Orders Revoked
Alongside the reshuffle, the state government has cancelled the previously issued transfer orders for ten HPPS officers, emphasizing the need to maintain continuity in key operational areas.
The officers whose transfers have been withdrawn are:
Narinder Kumar, ASP, 5th IRBn, Bangarh, Una
Yogesh Rolta, ASP, Sirmaur
Kamal Kishore, DSP, SV&ACB, Shimla
Ramakant Thakur, DSP (Headquarters), Sirmaur
Siddharth Sharma, DSP, Theog
Sher Singh, DSP, 5th IRBn, Bassi, Bilaspur
Manvendra Thakur, SDPO, Paonta Sahib
Naresh Kumar, SDPO, Rampur, Shimla
Vijay Kumar, DSP (Headquarters), Shimla
Yog Raj, SDPO, Chowari, Chamba
These cancellations signal the government’s balancing act between restructuring the force and ensuring consistency in areas where experienced officers are deemed essential.
IPS Officers Also Shifted
In addition to HPPS officers, four senior IPS officers have been transferred to new positions as part of the same notification:
Arvind Divijay Negi (2011 batch), recently promoted to Deputy Inspector General (DIG), will now serve as DIG, Narcotics Control Bureau, CID, Shimla.
Rohit Malpani (2012 batch), earlier Commandant, 1st HPAP, Junga (Shimla), has been appointed Superintendent of Police (SP), Cyber Crime, Shimla.
Karthikeyan Gokulachandran (2014 batch), who was previously awaiting posting at Police Headquarters, has been designated Commandant, 3rd IRBn, Pandoh, Mandi. He replaces Padam Chand (2015 batch), who will now take charge as Commandant, 1st HPAP, Junga.
Government’s Objective
According to sources within the state secretariat, these transfers are part of an administrative revamp aimed at strengthening district-level policing, improving coordination between the HPPS and IPS cadres, and ensuring better service delivery.
The reshuffle underscores the government’s intent to place experienced officers in critical postings, particularly in regions sensitive to law and order, tourism, and anti-narcotics operations.
