Harish Kumar Gupta Assigned Additional Charge as Andhra Pradesh DGP

The Andhra Pradesh government has appointed Harish Kumar Gupta as the new Director General of Police (DGP) with additional responsibilities. He replaces Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, who is set to retire on January 31. Harish Kumar Gupta is currently serving as the Director General of the Vigilance and Enforcement Department. Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand issued the official appointment order on Wednesday.

During the recent general elections, the Election Commission of India had removed then-DGP K.V. Rajendranath Reddy and appointed Harish Kumar Gupta in his place. As a result, he served as DGP for a brief period during the election process.

Following the formation of the coalition government led by N. Chandrababu Naidu, the administration prioritized seniority in police appointments, leading to the selection of Dwaraka Tirumala Rao as the DGP. Consequently, Harish Kumar Gupta was reassigned as the Director General of Vigilance and Enforcement. A 1992-batch IPS officer, Gupta’s appointment now follows the impending retirement of Dwaraka Tirumala Rao.

In terms of seniority, Maddireddy Pratap, a 1991-batch IPS officer and the current Director General of the Fire Services Department, was next in line for the DGP position. However, the Andhra Pradesh government, reportedly satisfied with Harish Kumar Gupta’s performance in various roles—including his experience handling law and order, serving as Principal Secretary of the Home Department, Director General of Prisons, and DGP during elections—has decided to appoint him as the state's top police officer.