The Centre on Friday appointed senior IPS officer Anurag Kumar as the new Delhi Police Commissioner, replacing Satish Golcha who had led the force since August 2025.
The appointment was announced by MHA through an official notification that Kumar will assume charge immediately.
A 1994-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer with the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories) cadre, Anurag Kumar was Special Director for IB (Intelligence Bureau) and was placed in one of the country's most influential policing positions.
MHA Announces Immediate Appointment
In its official order, the Ministry of Home Affairs said Kumar’s appointment has been approved by the competent authority and will remain effective until further orders.
"With the permission of the Competent Authority, Anurag Kumar, IPS, is hereby appointed as Commissioner of Police, Delhi, from the date of assumption of charge and till further orders," MHA order said.
The order also directed the outgoing commissioner Satish Golcha to report to the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi after formally handing over charge to Kumar.
Golcha, who took office in August 2025, was originally scheduled to continue as Delhi Police Commissioner until April 2027.
Who Is Anurag Kumar?
Anurag Kumar is a 1994-batch AGMUT cadre IPS officer with extensive policing, intelligence and national security experience.
Before being appointed as Delhi Police Commissioner, he was a Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau, one of India’s premier internal intelligence agencies where he held key security and intelligence duties.
Kumar has held a number of important roles in the AGMUT cadre, and has gained significant experience in law enforcement, counter-intelligence, internal security and policing administration.
His long tenure in the Intelligence Bureau will bring valuable expertise in intelligence-led policing to the Delhi Police, as they guard the national capital and keep important government institutions, diplomatic missions and high-profile events.
A Crucial Responsibility
Kumar will lead India’s most complex and largest police force in Delhi as the new Delhi Police Commissioner. Delhi Police is responsible for maintaining law and order in the national capital, investigating major crimes, managing VIP security, counter-terrorism operations, cybercrime investigations, and coordinating security for national and international events.
The role also involves close coordination with central security agencies, intelligence organisations, and the Delhi administration on national security matters.
His appointment comes at a time when the national capital is dealing with rapidly evolving security threats such as cyber attacks, organised crime, public safety issues and preparations for major national events.
Leadership Transition
The leadership change in Delhi Police is a sudden one. Satish Golcha's tenure was going to continue for nearly two more years but the Centre has decided to appoint Kumar as the new police chief.
With his intelligence background and decades of policing experience, Anurag Kumar will lead the force through the next phase of development and improve intelligence gathering, public safety and law enforcement capabilities in the capital.
