Mokokchung, January 3 (MTNews): Nagaland Director General of Police (DGP) TJ Longkumer has resigned from the post amid his service extension row.
“Longkumer tendered his resignation on 2nd January and the State Government has decided to accept his resignation,” Minister for Planning and Cooperation, Parliamentary Affairs and Land Revenue, Neiba Kronu today informed media persons.
Kronu said formalities of his resignation will take place on 7th January and said the cabinet did not discuss who will replace the outgoing DGP. He, however, added that the senior most police officer will be inducted as the DGP of the state.
It may be mentioned that Longkumer’s resignation followed the row that erupted following his extension of service for six months for a second time. Longkumer’s first extension as Nagaland DGP had expired on August 31, 2022.
Meanwhile, Rupin Sharma – the current Nagaland DG of Prisons – has emerged as a frontrunner for the post of the state’s police chief.
Rupin Sharma is a 1992 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed the Nagaland government, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the UPSC to finalize the process of appointment of the state Director General of Police (DGP) on or before December 19, 2022.
The Supreme Court had rejected the plea of the UPSC to grant 60-day time for finalizing the process of appointment of Nagaland DGP.
The Supreme Court further warned the Nagaland government, MHA and the UPSC of use of “coercive arms of law” by it if they failed to comply with the order.
As per the process, the UPSC, in consultation with state government and other stakeholders, has to prepare a list of three senior police officers and out of them, the state can appoint any one as the DGP.
1991 batch IPS officer TJ Longkumer was serving as the DGP of Nagaland on extension.
Longkumer was appointed as Nagaland DGP on June 27, 2018. Last year, Longkumer was given an extension till August 31, 2022 and he was again given an extension of six months till February 2023.