Archive · 11 Aug 2026
Odisha Promotes Sanjeeb Panda, Yeshwant Jethwa to DG Rank
The police in a state called Odisha, in India, help keep people safe and make sure everyone follows the rules.
The leader of the state government, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, gave two senior police officers a big promotion.
Their names are Sanjeeb Panda and Yeshwant Kumar Jethwa, and they were promoted to one of the highest police ranks, called Director General.
The current top police chief, Y B Khurania, will finish his two years on the job on August 16.
Because of that, the state needs to choose a new top police chief soon.
Sanjeeb Panda is seen as one of the strongest choices because he has done good work fighting the Naxalites, a group the national government wants to stop by March 2026.
Other officers who could get the top job are Sudhanshu Sarangi and R P Koche.
A group called the UPSC will help choose the three final people, and then the state will pick one of them to be the new police chief.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi approved the promotion of 1994-batch IPS officers Sanjeeb Panda and Yeshwant Kumar Jethwa to Director General rank.
Both officers, currently Additional Directors General, were recommended by the Departmental Promotion Committee for elevation.
Incumbent police chief Y B Khurania is set to complete his full two-year tenure on August 16.
Sanjeeb Panda, who heads anti-Naxal operations, is considered a frontrunner for the DGP post, with Sudhanshu Sarangi and R P Koche also in contention.
The Odisha government is likely to forward a fresh panel of eligible officers to the UPSC to shortlist three candidates for the DGP post.
- Who
- Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and 1994-batch IPS officers Sanjeeb Panda and Yeshwant Kumar Jethwa.
- What
- Two IPS officers were promoted to Director General of Police rank ahead of selecting a new state police chief.
- When
- On Monday, ahead of incumbent police chief Y B Khurania completing his tenure on August 16.
- Where
- Odisha, India.
- Why
- To fill senior police leadership positions ahead of selecting a new Director General of Police after Khurania's two-year tenure ends.
- Chief Minister
- Mohan Charan Majhi
- Officers promoted
- Sanjeeb Panda and Yeshwant Kumar Jethwa (1994-batch IPS)
- New rank
- Director General of Police
- Incumbent police chief
- Y B Khurania
- Tenure end date
- August 16
- DGP contenders
- Sanjeeb Panda, Sudhanshu Sarangi, R P Koche
- Current roles
- Panda heads anti-Naxal operations; Jethwa is Director, Vigilance
- Selection process
- Fresh panel to be forwarded to UPSC to shortlist three candidates
