Who was Anurag Dhankar? Tripura DGP found dead

Who was Anurag Dhankar? Tripura DGP found dead at Police Headquarters

A 1994-batch IPS officer, Anurag Dhankar served in the CBI, BSF, CISF and Tripura Police before becoming the state’s DGP.

By Trisha Katyayan

Published: Jul 20, 2026 14:39 IST|2 MIN READ

Tripura DGP Anurag Dhankar was found dead at the Police Headquarters in Agartala | X

Tripura Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Dhankar was found dead at the state Police Headquarters in Agartala on Monday. Police suspect it to be a case of suicide and an investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances surrounding his death.

A 1994-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Dhankar had spent more than three decades in policing and took charge as Tripura’s Director General of Police in May 2025, succeeding Amitabh Ranjan. Before becoming the state’s police chief, he served as Director General (Intelligence) in Tripura.

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Anurag Dhankar had spent more than three decades in policing and took charge as Tripura’s Director General of Police in May 2025

A distinguished policing career

Over the course of his career, Dhankar held several important assignments in both state and central agencies. Apart from serving in the Tripura Police, he worked with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Border Security Force (BSF), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and also served with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.

During his tenure with the CBI, he led the agency’s investigation into the Punjab National Bank scam involving fugitive businessman Nirav Modi. He also served in multiple senior positions within the agency, including Superintendent of Police, Deputy Inspector General, Joint Director and Additional Director.

Dhankar later served as Inspector General (Personnel) in the CISF and also headed the Special Investigation Team constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs to probe the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

During his tenure with the CBI, Anurag Dhankar led the agency’s investigation into the Punjab National Bank scam involving fugitive businessman Nirav Modi

Investigation underway

Following the incident, Dhankar was taken to Govind Ballabh Pant (GB) Hospital in Agartala, where doctors were unable to revive him.

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Officials said the exact circumstances leading to his death are yet to be established, and an official investigation is in progress.

Dhankar’s sudden death has shocked the police fraternity and government officials. Widely regarded as an experienced and professional officer, he was among the senior-most IPS officers serving in Tripura.

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