Shashi Bhushan is Delhi's top cop

In a significant leadership shift for the national capital’s law enforcement, senior IPS officer Shashi Bhushan Kumar Singh (59) was on Thursday appointed as the new Commissioner of Delhi Police.

A 1988-batch officer of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre, Singh assumed charge, succeeding Sanjay Arora, who retired on Thursday after completing his three-year tenure.

Currently serving as the Director General of Home Guards, Singh will hold the top Delhi police post in an additional capacity until further orders from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The surprise move ends a recent trend of appointing police chiefs from outside the AGMUT cadre. While Arora was from Tamil Nadu, his predecessor, Rakesh Asthana, hailed from Gujarat. With over 36 years of decorated service, Singh brings deep institutional knowledge. He has held key posts in the Delhi Police and led state forces in Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, making him a seasoned insider with firsthand familiarity with Delhi’s complex security landscape.

His appointment came amid speculation that 1992-batch officer Satish Golcha, currently DG of Tihar Jail, was the frontrunner. However in a last-minute decision, the MHA entrusted Singh with steering the Capital’s police force.

At a ceremonial farewell held at Kingsway Camp Parade Ground, Arora, joined by his wife and children, delivered an emotional speech marking the end of his 37-year career. Reflecting in Hindi, he lauded the Delhi Police as “one of the finest forces in the country” and paid tribute to personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty.

“I am not moving on to another assignment. This is my final salute,” Arora said, adding that “I thank every member of the force who stood with me throughout.”