Tripura DGP Anurag Dhankar Found Dead at Police Headquarters; Calls Grow for Judicial Probe

Agartala, July 2026 : Tripura Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Dhankar, a 1994-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, was found dead under mysterious circumstances at the state Police Headquarters in Agartala on Monday, sending shockwaves through the state’s administrative and political circles. The senior police officer was discovered in the bathroom attached to his official chamber and was immediately rushed to the Agartala Government Medical College and Govind Ballabh Pant (GBP) Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

The sudden demise of the state’s top police officer has triggered widespread grief, with the ruling BJP government, opposition parties and senior officials expressing shock over the incident. Both the Congress and the CPI(M) have demanded a judicial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his death.

According to officials, Dhankar was found inside the washroom of his office chamber at the Police Headquarters. He was immediately taken to the state-run AGMC and GBP Hospital, but doctors confirmed that he had no signs of life upon arrival.

Head of the Department of Medicine at AGMC and GBP Hospital, Dr Pradip Bhowmik, said doctors examined all vital parameters before declaring the senior IPS officer dead.

“We have sent the body for post-mortem examination. The exact cause of death can only be determined after the post-mortem report is received,” Dr Bhowmik told reporters.

Soon after receiving information about the incident, Chief Minister Manik Saha, who also holds the Home portfolio, rushed to the Police Headquarters along with Chief Secretary Jitendra Kumar Sinha and Home Secretary Abhishek Singh. The Chief Minister held discussions with senior police officials before visiting the hospital.

Expressing his grief in a post on X, Chief Minister Saha said he was deeply shocked by the tragic death of the state’s police chief.

“I am deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic demise of Anurag, IPS, Director General of Police, Tripura, who was found hanging in the washroom of his official chamber today,” the Chief Minister wrote.

He said that immediately after receiving information about the incident, he, along with the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary, visited the Police Headquarters before Dhankar was shifted to the hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

Saha extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for strength and courage for them during this difficult period.

Several senior ministers, led by Agriculture and Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath, also visited the hospital and met Dhankar’s wife to offer condolences. While refraining from commenting on the circumstances surrounding the death, they described Dhankar as an honest, upright and highly efficient police officer whose service had earned respect across the state.

The incident quickly assumed political significance, with both the opposition Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) demanding an independent judicial investigation.

Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and former minister Sudip Roy Barman said only a judicial probe monitored by a sitting judge of the Tripura High Court could establish the actual circumstances behind the death of the state’s senior-most police officer.

Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Choudhury, who also serves as the CPI(M) state secretary, echoed the demand, calling for a judicial inquiry under the supervision of the Chief Justice of the Tripura High Court.

Former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and senior Left leader Manik Dey also visited the hospital to pay their respects and meet the grieving family.

Both Sarkar and Choudhury praised Dhankar’s professional integrity and said he had handled Tripura’s law and order situation with dedication and efficiency after taking charge as Director General of Police.

Anurag Dhankar assumed office as Tripura DGP on May 17, 2025, succeeding Amitabh Ranjan, a 1988-batch IPS officer. Before becoming the state’s police chief, he served as Director General of Police (Intelligence) and also held additional responsibilities relating to law and order.

Known for his extensive policing experience and academic achievements, Dhankar held a postgraduate degree in Food Technology from the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, a Master’s degree in Police Management from Osmania University, and a postgraduate diploma in Cyber Crimes from NALSAR University of Law. He was also a Certified Fraud Examiner accredited by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), USA.

Throughout his distinguished career, Dhankar held several key assignments both in Tripura and at the national level. Between 1995 and 2003, he served in Tripura as Sub-Divisional Police Officer of Longtharai Valley, Superintendent of Police of the erstwhile West and South Tripura districts, Superintendent of Police (Special Branch), and Assistant Inspector General of Police (Headquarters).

During 2003-04, he served with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, gaining valuable international policing experience.

He later spent several years on central deputation, serving as Joint Director and Additional Director in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) between 2005 and 2013. After returning to Tripura, he served as Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) before once again proceeding on central deputation in 2016.

During his second stint with the Centre, Dhankar held important positions in the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the CBI. He also chaired the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to investigate the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, a responsibility that reflected the confidence reposed in his investigative abilities.

He was honoured with the Police Medal for Meritorious Service and the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service in recognition of his exemplary contribution to policing.

Returning to Tripura in September 2023, Dhankar took charge as Additional Director General of Police, later becoming DGP (Intelligence) before being elevated as the state’s Director General of Police.

His untimely death has left the police fraternity and the state administration in mourning. As investigators await the post-mortem report to establish the exact cause of death, the demand for an independent judicial inquiry continues to gather momentum, with political leaders insisting that a transparent investigation is essential to remove any doubts surrounding the tragic demise of one of Tripura’s most respected police officers.