VK Bhawra is new Punjab Police chief

Hours before the announcement of the Punjab assembly election date, the Charanjit Singh Channi-led Congress government on Saturday appointed VK Bhawra, a 1987-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, as the state's new director general of police (DGP).

Bhawra takes over from acting DGP Sidharth Chattopadhyaya, who is facing scrutiny following the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Punjab visit on January 5.

Viresh Kumar Bhawra's term shall be for a minimum of two years from the date of assumption of office, the government order issued in Chandigarh said.

Earlier, the Union Public Service Commission had sent a panel of three names to the state government, including former DGP Dinkar Gupta, Bhawra and Prabodh Kumar, for the top police post in the state.

Bhawra is the third DGP to take charge in as many months of the Channi government's tenure.