Gun Trained on Kasab, Played with Life… 26/11 Hero Sadanand Date to be Maharashtra's New DGP

Mumbai terror attack hero and former NIA Director General Sadanand Date has been appointed as the new DGP of Maharashtra. He will take over the responsibility on January 3, after the current DGP Rashmi Shukla vacates the post.

Maharashtra Police has a new chief. The state government announced on Wednesday that former NIA (National Investigation Agency) chief Sadanand Vasant Date has been appointed as the new Director General of Police (DGP) of Maharashtra. Date's tenure will be for two years. Date, an IPS officer of the 1990 batch, will replace the current DGP of the state, Rashmi Shukla, whose tenure ends on January 3.

Tenure to be for Two Years

According to the order issued by the State Home Department, Sadanand Date has been appointed for a fixed tenure of two years. Notably, he will continue in this post despite his retirement next year in December. Date will turn 60 in December 2026. He was recently sent back to the state cadre from the Centre at the special request of the Maharashtra government.

Who is Sadanand Date?

Sadanand Date is among the select Indian Police Service officers who have been honoured with the President's Medal for their bravery. He has served as the Director General of India's anti-terrorism investigation agency, NIA. Until March 2024, he led the Maharashtra ATS (Anti-Terrorism Squad).

Sadanand Date was awarded the President's Medal for showing indomitable courage during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. In November 2008, when 10 terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba from Pakistan attacked Mumbai, Date was posted as Additional Commissioner of Police (Central Region) in South Mumbai.

Direct Confrontation with Kasab

During the Mumbai terror attacks of November 26, 2008, IPS Daate confronted terrorists Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail at the 'Cama & Albless' hospital. Date, with his small police team, cornered the two terrorists. Along with his team, he safely rescued the lift operator Chandrakant Tikkhe, who was being used as a 'human shield' by Kasab.

Severely Injured, 2 Colleagues Martyred

Later, in a grenade attack by the terrorists, Sadanand Date sustained severe injuries to his eyes, throat, chest, and legs. Two personnel from his team were martyred, but Date's courage forced the terrorists to flee from the spot.

After the grenade blast, Date experienced a blackout for some time, which allowed Kasab and Abu Ismail to escape. A few minutes after leaving the hospital, both terrorists murdered the then ATS chief Hemant Karkare, encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar, and Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte.

The appointment of Sadanand Date, who has led sensitive organisations like the NIA and ATS, as DGP is considered very important in terms of Maharashtra's law and order and anti-terrorism strategy. He is taking charge at a time when elections are due in 29 municipal corporations, including the BMC, in the state.