Bhubaneswar: Amid growing tensions with neighbouring Pakistan following brutal terror attacks in Pahalgam, two Odisha-cadre IPS officers have been appointed to go on central deputation. 

The Ministry of Home Affairs has appointed IPS Ravi Kanta and Mitrabhanu Mahapatra as the IG and DIG in the BSF respectively. The duo was appointed on deputation basis for a period of 5 years from the date of assumption of the charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier. 

The MHA requested the state government to relieve the officers immediately to take up their new assignments at the Centre. 

The 1998-batch Odisha-cadre IPS officer Ravi Kanta is presently serving as the OSD in Home Department of Government of Odisha. Prior to it, he was appointed as the Resident Commissioner in New Delhi. He was transferred and posted as the OSD, Home department on July 15, 2024. After 9 months, he was appointed as the Inspector General (IG) in Border Security Force (BSF), Ministry of Home Affairs. 

Similarly, IPS Mitrabhanu Mahapatra is currently serving as the DIG at Odisha Police Headquarters in Cuttack. The MHA approved his appointment as the him as the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in BSF on deputation basis for 5 years. 

The 2010-batch Odisha cadre IPS officer was earlier serving as the Rourkela SP. The state government transferred him in April last year, in compliance with the Election Commission of India (ECI) orders, following allegations by the then opposition BJP of an unholy nexus between officials and the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).