Indo-Tibetan Border Police chief to head CRPF for now

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Director General S S Deswal has been given the "additional" charge to head country's largest paramilitary force CRPF as its serving DG R R Bhatnagar retired on Tuesday.

According to an order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Deswal, a 1984-batch Haryana cadre IPS officer, will hold the CRPF charge "till the appointment and joining of the successor or until further orders, whichever is earlier".

A 1983-batch Uttar Pradesh cadre IPS officer, Bhatnagar retired on Tuesday after heading the CRPF for 33 months. He was appointed CRPF Director General in April 2017.

Officials said full-time chief for CRPF is likely to be announced by the government next week.