‘Rotten Apples Will Be Weeded Out,’ Says Haryana DGP Ajay Singhal After Taking Charge

Senior IPS officer Ajay Singhal on Thursday assumed charge as the 42nd Director General of Police (DGP) and Head of Police Force (HoPF), Haryana, asserting that corruption within the police force would not be tolerated and that “rotten apples will be weeded out.”

A 1992-batch IPS officer, Singhal took over from his predecessor O.P. Singh, who formally handed over the baton. Singhal’s father, Om Prakash Singhal, was present at the ceremony as he took charge.

Thanking Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini for entrusting him with the responsibility, Singhal said he would work in line with the government’s vision and public expectations.

Reflecting on three decades of policing, the new DGP said law enforcement has continuously evolved since he joined the service in 1992. “From the internet to mobile phones, smartphones, apps and now artificial intelligence — criminals have grown smarter, and policing has had to evolve with them. Haryana Police has faced terrorism, crime control and serious law-and-order challenges, and has always delivered,” he said.

Corruption and accountability

A day before Singhal took charge, the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB) stated that the police department saw the highest number of corruption-related actions in 2025. As many as 44 police personnel faced action, followed by officials from the Revenue Department (24) and Urban Local Bodies (7).

Responding to this, Singhal said increased action reflects vigilance, not failure. “Police interact most with the public, so scrutiny is higher. Corruption exists elsewhere too, but we are alert. Anyone found guilty will face strict action as per law,” he said.

Manpower shortage and recruitment

Addressing staffing gaps, Singhal acknowledged that Haryana Police faces a 29.3% personnel shortage, with 23,189 vacancies against a sanctioned strength of 79,063. Vacancies are particularly high among Head Constables (50.5%) and Constables (27.3%). “We are recruiting over 5,000 personnel, including 1,500 women. Recruitment will be phased because training capacity also matters,” he said.

Technology, welfare and new initiatives

Singhal said technology would be used to identify crime hotspots, especially crimes against women and atrocities against Scheduled Castes, with a similar data-driven approach planned for cybercrime. 

He announced a new initiative, “Madadgaar Police” (May I Help You), aimed at assisting citizens at night during emergencies such as medical crises, vehicle breakdowns or fuel shortages.

On personnel welfare, the DGP said police staff would receive financial assistance for children’s weddings, and a banquet hall would be built at Police Lines for this purpose. He also proposed that each police station adopt a village, addressing issues ranging from sanitation to crime prevention.

Law and order challenges

On extortion calls and organised crime, Singhal said such activities would be dealt with firmly. “Those spreading terror will not be spared. We will even extradite criminals from abroad,” he said.

He also flagged mental health as a serious concern in policing. “We are working towards mandatory weekly offs and regular health check-ups for personnel above 35 years,” he said.

On Bangladeshi infiltration, Singhal termed it a major challenge, adding that multiple agencies were working together to gather intelligence. He said Operation Muskaan would continue for tracing missing persons, noting that Haryana has around 10,000 absconding criminals, including proclaimed offenders and bail jumpers.

Rejecting Opposition allegations of poor law and order, Singhal said, “If the situation were bad, Haryana would not be attracting such large investments.”