Punjab has appointed Gaurav Yadav as its regular Director General of Police (DGP), ending a four-year period during which the state did not have a regular police chief. The appointment order was issued on Friday after the state government considered the panel of eligible officers forwarded by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
The decision gives Yadav formal confirmation as the head of the Punjab Police, placing him at the helm of the force responsible for maintaining law and order, combating organised crime and drug trafficking, and overseeing policing across the state.
Yadav had been serving as Punjab’s police chief since July 2022, when he took charge following the departure of his predecessor, Viresh Kumar Bhawra. His appointment had remained on an acting or officiating basis while the process for selecting a regular DGP was pursued.