The Council of Ministers has decided to appoint Narayan Datt Paudel as the 13th Inspector General (IGP) of the Armed Police Force, Nepal. Paudel is set to assume the responsibility of IGP starting from 18th Baisakh 2083 (Nepali calendar). He has served 28 years between the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force.
On 14th Baisakh in Kathmandu, Narayan Datt Paudel was officially appointed as the 13th IGP of the Armed Police Force. The cabinet meeting held on Monday approved the promotion of Additional Inspector General of Police (AIG) Paudel to the position of IGP. Government spokesperson and Education Minister Sasmit Pokharel also confirmed the decision to promote Paudel to the IGP role. According to him, Paudel will take command after 18th Baisakh. Currently, he is serving as the head of the Human Resource Department at the Armed Police Force Headquarters in Halchok.
The current IGP, Raju Aryal, is set to retire on 18th Baisakh after completing his four-year tenure. Following his retirement, the government decided to appoint Paudel as his successor. Paudel was the leading candidate for the IGP position. He began his service as an Inspector with the Nepal Police on 18th Chaitra 2054.
Other contenders for the IGP post included AIG Vanshi Dahal of the Border Department and AIG Ganesh Thada Magar of the Operations Department; however, both were junior to Paudel. Paudel was promoted to AIG on 6th Jestha 2079. After Raju Aryal became IGP, Paudel was promoted to AIG. Dahal was promoted approximately five months later, on 28th Ashoj 2079, when the government also added an AIG position in the Border Security Department. Thada Magar is roughly two years junior to Paudel and was promoted to AIG on 2nd Asar 2082. He was recruited as a police inspector in 2056 and is two years junior in the recruitment process as well.
Paudel will serve as IGP for two years until 18th Chaitra 2084. According to the current Armed Police Force regulations, he will retire on that date after completing 30 years of service. Paudel began his career as a constable and rose to the rank of IGP. Born in Old Jarbuta Village Development Committee-5 in Surkhet, he cleared his School Leaving Certificate (SLC) in Surkhet and passed the constable exam. He later secured a permanent appointment in the municipality. He stated, ‘I passed the public service exam and became a constable, working five years in Birendranagar Municipality. I never planned to join the police.’
Paudel faced the Maoists several times during his service. He recalls, ‘Many colleagues were injured by gunfire during that time, but I was fortunate to survive.’
