Assam: IPS officer Mayank Kumar assumes charge as Tinsukia SSP
Guwahati: In a pivotal shift for Assam's eastern frontier, IPS officer Mayank Kumar has assumed charge as Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Tinsukia district, succeeding Abhijit Dilip Gurav, whose tenure bolstered counter-insurgency efforts and facilitated ULFA(I) cadre surrenders.
The 480-kilometer journey from Dispur underscores Tinsukia's role as a bustling commercial nerve center, fueling upper Assam and eastern Arunachal Pradesh with tea-, oil-, and coal-driven economies.
Local MLA Sanjoy Kishan, a long-time BJP stalwart representing Tinsukia, extended a warm welcome on social media Monday, hailing Kumar's arrival as a beacon of hope. In a post in Assamese, Kishan wrote:
"I welcome the newly appointed Superintendent of Police of Tinsukia district, Mr. Mayank Kumar. We are hopeful that under his strong leadership, the law and order system of the district will take a new shape. At this time, BJP District Committee General Secretary Mr. Siddharth Barua and Tea Morcha Tinsukia District Committee Vice-President Mr. Pintu Deep also accompanied me."
Tinsukia's vibrant mosaic, home to millions of people across more than 100 communities, including Moran, Matak, Adivasi, Tai Ahom, Nepali, Bengali, Marwari, and Bihari, grapples with formidable policing challenges.
Illegal rat-hole coal mining in Margherita-Ledo persists despite NGT bans and recent crackdowns that sealed 13 sites and arrested four individuals, fueling environmental degradation and annual revenue losses exceeding crores. Drug syndicates exploit porous Indo-Myanmar routes, while timber smuggling and wildlife trafficking erode Dehing Patkai's biodiversity.
Extortion by fringe outfits, cyber frauds, crimes against women and children, assaults on elderly people, mobile-chain snatching, cattle smuggling, illegal infiltration, encroachments, and rising domestic violence compound the strain on stretched resources.
Local activists emphasize, "Tinsukia's diversity is its strength, but unchecked vices like the coal mafia and narcotics demand vigilant, tech-savvy policing to restore harmony." Meanwhile, Kumar pledged community-centric reforms during the handover.
After assuming office, the new SSP, Mayank Kumar, sought citizens’ continued cooperation in maintaining peace, security, and orderly civic life. He assured that he would uphold the standards of professionalism and community engagement set by his predecessor and further strengthen policing in the district.
"It will be my privilege to work together with the people of Tinsukia to foster peace, ensure security, and strengthen mutual confidence," he said.
As Kumar settles in, residents from Doomdooma's tea gardens to Digboi's oil fields watch with guarded hope.
In this cauldron of commerce and conflict, his leadership could redefine security, fostering a safer tomorrow for Tinsukia's resilient tapestry.