Senior IPS officer Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal has assumed office as the Director General of Police (DGP) of Tamil Nadu, becoming the 34th officer to lead the state police force. He officially took charge at 10:45 A.M. at the DGP Headquarters on Kamarajar Salai in Chennai.
Aggarwal’s appointment follows the conclusion of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections held on April 23. In the interim period, senior IPS officer Sandeep Rai Rathore was overseeing the Tamil Nadu Police as per the Election Commission’s directives.
With the formation of the new government under the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the process to appoint a permanent DGP began. After a panel comprising Rajiv Kumar, Sandeep Rai Rathore, and Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal was sent to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) by the state government, Aggarwal was selected for the top police post following UPSC’s approval.
Aggarwal, a 1994-batch IPS officer, brings over thirty years of diverse policing experience in Tamil Nadu to his new role. Fluent in Tamil, English, Hindi, and Punjabi, he has held significant positions and is recognized for his focus on modern policing techniques and crime prevention.
Known for his contributions to enhancing Chennai’s CCTV surveillance network and introducing initiatives like ‘Night Crime to Zero,’ Aggarwal has overseen major investigations during his career, including the Salem train robbery case. His appointment is expected to usher in a new era for the Tamil Nadu Police, emphasizing technology-driven policing to bolster law enforcement and public safety.
