New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh cadre IPS officer K Durga Prasad has taken over as the new Director of elite Special Protection Group which guards the Prime Minister and
his immediate family members besides Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her family.
With the appointment of Prasad, a 1981 batch IPS officer, the post of Director SPG has been downgraded from the rank of Director General of Police to Inspector General of Police.
According to the official notification, 54-year-old Prasad will hold the post of Director SPG for an initial period of two years from the date of his joining.
The name of Prasad, who took over last evening, was cleared by the Appointment’s Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Besides the Prime Minister, the 23-year-old force guards Sonia Gandhi and her two children Rahul and Priyanka.
Prior to this appointment, Prasad was Additional Director General of Police (Sports) in Andhra Pradesh. He has no previous experience in SPG.
His earlier stint at the Centre was as head of Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) of CRPF in 2008 but had to return to his parent cadre in less than a year on personal grounds. He had served in the state anti-Naxal force Greyhounds earlier.
Prasad`s predecessor Bharat Vir Wanchoo retired as SPG director on October 31.
Wanchoo, a 1976 batch IPS officer from West Bengal cadre and considered a confidante of the Gandhi family, has the distinction of serving SPG for the longest tenure.
His first tenure with the elite force was way back in late 80s when the specialised force had just been set up. Rajiv Gandhi was the prime minister then.
PTI