Archive · 1 Sep 2026
Jai Narayan Pankaj Takes Charge As Southern Range Police Chief
Jai Narayan Pankaj is now the police chief for Odisha’s Southern Range.
He officially started the job on Tuesday.
He replaced Niti Shekhar.
Pankaj previously worked as Odisha’s intelligence police chief.
The Southern Range covers four districts.
These districts are Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal and Boudh.
Pankaj took charge at the range headquarters in Berhampur.
He said he wants to make policing stronger in all four districts.
Jai Narayan Pankaj, a 2005-batch IPS officer, became Inspector General of Police for Odisha’s Southern Range on Tuesday.
He succeeded Niti Shekhar, who has been posted as IGP (Provisioning) at Police Headquarters.
Pankaj previously served as IGP, Intelligence, Odisha.
The Southern Range includes Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal and Boudh districts.
After taking charge in Berhampur, Pankaj said he would focus on strengthening policing across the four districts.
- Who
- Jai Narayan Pankaj took charge, succeeding Niti Shekhar.
- What
- Pankaj became Inspector General of Police for the Southern Range.
- When
- He took charge on Tuesday; the related senior IPS reshuffle was effected on August 21.
- Where
- He took charge at the Southern Range headquarters in Berhampur, Odisha.
- Why
- He said he would focus on further strengthening policing across the four districts.
- New officer
- Jai Narayan Pankaj
- Position
- Inspector General of Police, Southern Range
- Previous position
- IGP, Intelligence, Odisha
- Predecessor
- Niti Shekhar
- Southern Range districts
- Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal and Boudh
- New posting for Niti Shekhar
- IGP (Provisioning), Police Headquarters
- Officer's stated focus
- Strengthening policing across the four districts