Shyam Bhagat Negi given additional charge as DGP Himachal Pradesh till March 31

According to a notification issued by the Department of Personnel on Friday, Negi, a 1990-batch IPS officer, will hold the additional charge of DGP (HoPF) and DGP (State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau) during the leave period of incumbent Ashok Tewari.

Tewari, a 1993-batch IPS officer, had also been holding the additional charge of DGP (HoPF) and has proceeded on leave. Negi will discharge the responsibilities from March 23 to March 31, 2026, in the public interest. Tewari is scheduled to resume duties on April 1, 2026.

Notably, Negi is set to retire on March 31, the last day of his additional assignment.

The development comes on a day when the issue of drug menace was raised in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, with BJP MLA Satpal Singh Satti questioning the role of the police and raising concerns over the functioning of the DGP.

The order was issued by Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta, directing all concerned departments and officials to take necessary action accordingly.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the opposition staged a walkout in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on the sixth day of the ongoing Budget Session, over the issue of rising drug menace in the state, with Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur alleging involvement of police personnel in drug trafficking.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Thakur expressed serious concern over the reported circulation of LSD and the alleged complicity of law enforcement officials. He accused the state government and senior police officials of failing to curb the drug problem and instead allowing it to grow.

Citing the recent arrest of four cops linked to drug trafficking, Thakur questioned the government's commitment to tackling the menace, saying "Those appointed to eliminate drugs are themselves found involved. This raises serious questions and warrants a thorough inquiry." (ANI)