Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has issued transfer orders for the Puri Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP) in the wake of recent incidents. Chanchal Rana, IAS, Collector and District Magistrate of Khurda, has been appointed as the new Collector and District Magistrate of Puri.
Siddharth Shankar Swain, Collector and District Magistrate of Puri, has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty in the General Administration and Public Grievance Department. This post is equivalent in status and responsibility to that of an Additional Secretary in the IAS cadre of the state.
Meanwhile, Vinit Agrawal, the current SP of Puri, has been transferred, and senior IPS officer Pinak Mishra, who previously served as the SP of Puri, has been appointed as SP in the rank of DIGP with immediate effect. Vinit Agrawal was posted as OSD, State Police headquarters, with immediate effect. The Home Department issued a notification in this regard.
The transfer decision was taken hours after a stampede incident in Saradhabali near Gundicha temple on the wee hours of Sunday that claimed three lives. At least six other devotees also sustained injuries in the incident.
