Kataka: Senior IPS officer Vinaytosh Mishra on Sunday assumed the additional charge of Director General of Police (DGP), Odisha, at the State Police Headquarters here. He took over the responsibility from outgoing DGP Yogesh Bahadur Khurania.
On his arrival at the Police Headquarters, Mishra was received by senior police officers and accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour. He later paid floral tributes at the Police Martyrs’ Memorial, honouring the sacrifices made by police personnel in the line of duty.
A 1993-batch IPS officer, Mishra is presently serving as the Director General, Crime Branch, and will continue to hold that post while discharging the additional responsibilities of the State Police Chief.
Addressing mediapersons after assuming charge, Mishra thanked the Odisha Government for reposing faith in him and described the assignment as a matter of great honour and responsibility. He said his priority would be to perform his duties with dedication, integrity and commitment while ensuring professional and people-centric policing.
Reviewing the work of the Crime Branch during his nearly two-year tenure, Mishra said sustained efforts had been made to strengthen crime prevention and investigation. He added that the police would continue to focus on women’s safety, combating organised crime, building a drug-free Odisha and intensifying the fight against cybercrime.
With the festive season approaching, the new DGP said around 60,000 Odisha Police personnel, in coordination with district administrations, would be deployed to maintain law and order and ensure public safety across the State. He assured citizens that all necessary security arrangements would be put in place to enable peaceful celebration of festivals.
Referring to the prevailing flood situation in some districts, Mishra said the Odisha Police would work closely with ODRAF and district administrations to provide timely assistance to affected people and take all possible measures to protect lives and property.
Calling upon police personnel to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, Mishra said every officer and jawan must discharge their duties with honesty, dedication and a strong sense of responsibility. He remarked that policing is not merely a profession but a noble service and urged the force to continue strengthening public trust through efficient and humane policing.
During his distinguished career, Mishra has served in several key positions across Odisha, including as SDPO, Additional Superintendent of Police and Superintendent of Police in Baleshwar, Talcher, Kataka, Brahmapur, Jajpur and the Crime Branch. As Deputy Inspector General of Police, he held important assignments in Fire Services and Home Guards, Intelligence and Transport Enforcement, besides serving with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Bokaro.
He later served as Inspector General of Police at the CISF Headquarters in Chennai, IGP (Railways), Odisha, and IGP (Eastern Range), Baleshwar. Subsequently, he held several senior positions as Additional Director General of Police, including Modernisation, Headquarters, Director of the State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB) and ADGP, Crime Branch. Since January 1, 2025, he has been serving as Director General, Crime Branch.
Several senior police officers and officials of the State Police Headquarters were present on the occasion of Mishra’s assumption of charge as the additional Director General of Police, Odisha.
