Who is Rajiv Singh? Officer who led Manipur Police during violence appointed secretary (security) in cabinet secretariat

IMPHAL: Manipur director general of police (DGP) Rajiv Singh has been appointed as secretary (Security) in the Cabinet Secretariat, according to an order issued by the Personnel Ministry on Thursday.Who is Rajiv Singh?A 1993-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Tripura cadre, Singh has been serving as the police chief of Manipur since June 1, 2023, shortly after ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state.The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved his appointment to the key security post, the order stated.The Secretary (Security) serves as the administrative head of the Special Protection Group (SPG), the elite force responsible for providing security to the prime minister and members of the PM’s immediate family residing at the official residence.The post had been under additional charge of Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Parag Jain since November 12 last year.Rajiv Singh took over as Manipur DGP after large-scale ethnic violence erupted in the state on May 3, 2023.The clashes began following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ organised in the hill districts against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.The violence claimed at least 260 lives, displaced thousands of residents and led to prolonged unrest across the state.Manipur remained under President’s Rule from February 13, 2025. It was revoked on February 4 this year, just hours before the formation of a new state government led by NDA legislature party leader Y Khemchand Singh as chief minister.(With agency inputs)