Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday said that the state has lost an honest, efficient and dedicated police officer with the untimely demise of Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag, whose commitment to public safety and maintenance of law and order would always be remembered.
The body of Anurag was found in hanging position under mysterious circumstances in the bathroom attached to his official chamber at the state Police Headquarters here on Monday.
Expressing profound grief over the death of the state’s police chief, the Chief Minister said that Anurag’s integrity, professionalism and unwavering sense of duty throughout his distinguished career earned him immense respect from both his colleagues and the people.
“His dedication to ensuring public safety and maintaining law and order will always be remembered. With his untimely demise, the state has lost an honest, efficient, dutiful and public-spirited police officer,” Saha told the media after paying tribute to Anurag.
Noting that due to his sincere performance and efficiency, the law and order situation in Tripura remarkably improved, the Chief Minister said that Anurag exemplified integrity, courage, professionalism and an unwavering commitment to public service throughout his career.
Describing Anurag’s death as an “irreparable loss” to both the government and the police force, he said that it would be extremely difficult for anyone to fill the void left by the senior IPS officer.
“As long as he was there, I remained assured that the law and order situation was in safe hands,” he said, recalling that he had interacted with Anurag during the Tripura Police Passing Out Parade on July 18 and found him cheerful and in good spirits.
An unnatural death case has already been registered and the investigation will proceed as per legal provisions, he said.
Expressing deep sympathy for the bereaved family, the Chief Minister said the family had suffered the greatest loss and prayed for strength to help them endure the tragedy.
Referring to the preliminary post-mortem findings, the Chief Minister said the autopsy report indicated that the death occurred due to hanging.
“His leadership, dedication to maintaining law and order, and tireless service to the people will always be remembered with immense respect and gratitude,” Saha said.
The Chief Minister further said that Anurag’s legacy would continue to inspire generations of police personnel as well as citizens.
“He reminded us that true leadership is built on duty, compassion and selfless service,” said Saha, who also holds the home portfolio.
Praying for eternal peace for the departed soul, the Chief Minister conveyed his deepest condolences to the bereaved family and wished them strength to bear the irreparable loss.
A senior police official said that Tripura Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu, Chief Minister Manik Saha, several state ministers, Chief Secretary Jitendra Kumar Sinha, Home Secretary Abhishek Singh, acting Director General of Police G.S. Rao, and many senior civil, police and security officials on Tuesday paid their last respects to Anurag.
Tributes were first paid at the Police Headquarters and later at the Civil Secretariat in the New Capital Complex.
The official said that after the homage ceremonies, Anurag’s body, accompanied by his family members and senior police officials, was flown via Odisha and Delhi to his native place at Baraut in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district, where his last rites would be performed on Wednesday morning.
The Tripura government declared a one-day state mourning on Tuesday as a mark of respect to DGP Anurag, a 1994-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Tripura cadre.
Anurag took charge as Tripura’s Director General of Police on May 17 last year, succeeding Amitabh Ranjan, a 1988-batch IPS officer. Before assuming charge as the DGP, Anurag served as Director General of Police (Intelligence), Tripura.
(IANS)
