IPS officer from AP likely to head SPG

NEW DELHI: Andhra Pradesh cadre senior IPS officer Kode Durga Prasad, who had a long stint in the state's anti-naxal force Grey Hounds, is frontrunner in the race to head the elite Special Protection Group (SPG).The elite force is headed by BV Wanchoo, who retires on Monday after having the longest tenure of seven years.Durga Prasad, a 1981 batch IPS officer, is presently the additional director general of police (Sports) in AP.He, however, had no previous experience in the SPG, a force which was primarily created to guard the Prime Minister and their immediate family members.Besides the Prime Minister, SPG also guards Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her two children— Rahul and Priyanka.Durga Prasad is among the few officers who were considered for the post.Though Durga Prasad said he did not have any `news' of his posting, he confirmed that he was considered for the same."Yes. I was among quite a few people (officers) who were interviewed for the post," he told Express but said he did not receive any official confirmation from government sources about his posting.Durga Prasad headed Grey Hounds for a long period and had a brief stint as the chief of state's intelligence wing.Durga Prasad was also handpicked for heading the Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) in 2008 but had to return to his parent cadre in less than a year on personal grounds.If Durga Prasad is selected to head the SPG, he would be the second IPS officer from the state cadre to be posted in the elite force.Another AP cadre officer, Sudeep Lakhtakia, is also serving the SPG for the past four to five years and it is said that he took extension to continue in the force.Prasad was among the two officers interviewed for the post and it is understood that the Government has cleared his name to head the 23-year-old force.Once a formal order is announced, the post of director, SPG will also be downgraded to additional director general's post from the director general's post at present, sources said on Sunday.Though Prasad is only in the rank of inspector general at the Centre, it was expected that after his selection, he would be empanelled in the rank of additional director general.Wanchoo, a 1976 batch IPS officer from West Bengal cadre, considered a close confidante of Gandhi family, retires on Monday.