Vij asks IPS Bharti Arora to reconsider early retirement

AMBALA: Haryana home and health minister Anil Vij has asked Indian Police Services (IPS) officer and current Ambala Range inspector general of police (IGP) Bharti Arora to reconsider her call for premature retirement.

“She is a noble police officer and we are proud to have such officers in our state. I received her file on Thursday and have asked her to rethink the decision,” Vij said on Friday.

On July 24, The 1998-batch IPS officer had, in a letter, sought to be relieved of services by July 31, after attaining 50 years of age as per rules.

Arora had mentioned about spending the rest of her life in Vrindavan in devotion to Lord Krishna as the only reason behind her retirement.

She was transferred from Karnal to Ambala in April this year. Meanwhile, almost a week into her request, there is no decision by the state government yet.

Arora remained unavailable for comment on the state home minister’s request.

During a conversation with HT last week, she had refuted rumour of joining politics postretirement and had said she was rather hopeful that the government will accept her plea at the earliest.

During her service of 23 years, Arora has handled several investigations, including the Samjhauta blast probe as then superintendent of police (Government Railway Police) in 2007 and cases of immigration fraud and human trafficking as Karnal Range IGP in 2020.

As Ambala SP in 2009, she had arrested Vij, who was then an MLA during the Hooda-led Congress government, after a protest in Cantonment.