Nine Varanasi Station Chiefs Shifted as Police Reconstitute SOG-2

VARANASI: The police commissionerate has changed the leadership at nine police stations, reassigned responsibilities between two assistant commissioners and brought back its second Special Operations Group. The reshuffle followed a crime-review meeting chaired by Police Commissioner Mohit Agarwal on Saturday night, with pending investigations, women’s safety, traffic and public complaints placed at the centre of the discussion.

Rajatalab station in-charge Dayaram and Chowk inspector Dilip Mishra were sent to the police lines, according to a local report. The report linked the Rajatalab change to the continuing search for an accused in the Shreya Upadhyay case and said the Chowk action followed concerns about the handling of public grievances. These are administrative decisions; they do not by themselves establish individual misconduct, and any specific allegation remains subject to departmental process.

The subsequent postings create a chain of changes across the city. Ajay Raj Verma, previously at Manduadih, has been moved to Phulpur. Chetganj inspector Vijay Kumar Shukla has been given charge of Chowk, while Lohta station chief Digambar Upadhyay moves to Manduadih. Pawan Pandey, who was in charge of the Ramna outpost, has been posted to Chetganj. Media cell in-charge Abhijeet Singh takes over Lohta, and sub-inspector Jitendra Kumar from Rohania has been assigned Rajatalab.

At the assistant commissioner level, Pragya Pathak has been given charge of the Cantt circle after returning from leave, while Apoorva Pandey will lead the cyber portfolio. The commissionerate has also reconstituted SOG-2 under sub-inspector Pankaj Singh Chauhan. The unit is expected to focus on organised offences and illegal activities such as gambling and betting, alongside intelligence-led operations.

The commissioner’s directions went beyond transfers. Station heads were told to conduct regular foot patrols, act on encroachments affecting roads and pavements, review missing-person reports and ensure that CCTV systems at police stations remain functional. ACP-level monitoring of first information reports and missing-person cases was also emphasised.

For residents, a reshuffle only has meaning if it changes the experience at the police station: complaints acknowledged promptly, investigations updated, vulnerable people heard and traffic rules enforced consistently. Frequent transfers can bring urgency, but they can also disrupt continuity unless case files and local intelligence are handed over properly.

The new officers now inherit that practical test. The commissionerate has publicly tied their tenure to crime control, investigation quality and resolution of civic complaints. Performance over the coming weeks—rather than the announcement itself—will show whether the changes improve accountability on the ground.

Transfers can create a burst of activity, but residents need stable channels after the officers change. Updated contact details, clear duty rosters and proper case handovers reduce the risk that a complainant is told to begin again. The commissionerate can strengthen confidence by reviewing the same service indicators after 30 and 60 days and publishing what improved, what did not and which station needs further support.