Arvind Ranjan appointed as interim DG of Sashastra Seema Bal

NEW DELHI: Government today appointed CISF chief Arvind Ranjan as the caretaker Director General of border guarding force Sashastra Seema Bal.

The Union Home Ministry today issued orders asking Ranjan, a 1977-batch IPS officer of Kerala cadre, to take the "additional charge" of the 50,000 personnel strong force as incumbent DG Arun Chaudhary retires tomorrow.

"Arvind Rajan, IPS (KL-77), presently DG CISF will hold the additional charge of the post of Director General SSB from May 1 till an incumbent to the post of DG SSB is appointed on regular basis, or till further orders," the Home Ministry said in an order.

Sources said a full-time DG for the paramilitary force may only be appointed after the new government is formed.

The SSB is mandated to guard Indian borders with Nepal and Bhutan even as it is deployed for a variety of internal security duties including conducting anti-Naxal operations in various states.