Dr KLN Rao gets additional charge as Gujarat DGP after Vikas Sahay’s retirement

The Gujarat government on Wednesday assigned the additional charge of the post of Director General of Police (DGP) and Chief Police Officer of Gujarat to Dr K Lakshmi Narayan Rao, IPS, following the superannuation of incumbent DGP Vikas Sahay.

According to a notification issued by the Home Department on December 31, 2025, Vikas Sahay, a 1989-batch IPS officer, retired from service on the same day upon attaining the age of superannuation. In view of the vacancy created, the state government has entrusted Dr KLN Rao, a 1992-batch IPS officer currently serving as Director General of Police, CID (Crime and Railways), Gandhinagar, with the additional charge of the top police post.

The order states that Dr Rao will hold the additional responsibility of Director General of Police and Chief Police Officer, Gujarat State, “in addition to his existing duties, until further orders.”

The notification was issued in the name of the Governor of Gujarat and signed by Deputy Secretary (Home) Amit Rawal.

Vikas Sahay, who held the post of DGP and Chief Police Officer, Gujarat, oversaw the state police force during a period marked by intensified law-and-order monitoring, inter-state coordination, and heightened security arrangements during major festivals and elections. His retirement marks the end of a nearly four-decade-long career in the Indian Police Service.

Dr K Lakshmi Narayan Rao, who now takes charge on an interim basis, is known for his experience in crime investigation and railway policing. As the head of CID (Crime and Railways), he has been overseeing sensitive investigations and intelligence-related policing across the state. With the additional responsibility, he will now lead the Gujarat Police at a time when the state continues to focus on crime control, internal security and administrative reforms within the force.

The appointment is effective immediately and will remain in force until the state government issues further orders regarding a regular appointment to the post of Director General of Police.