Tripura DGP Anurag Dhankar cremated with full State honours in Uttar Pradesh

The funeral of Tripura Director General of Police Anurag Dhankar, whose sudden death at the Tripura Police Headquarters in Agartala earlier this week shocked the state, was held on Wednesday in his hometown of Baraut, Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district.

Dhankar’s mortal remains reached his residence on Gandhi Road in Baraut late Tuesday night. On Wednesday morning, hundreds of mourners, including senior police officers, administrative officials, elected representatives, and local residents, gathered to pay floral tributes before the funeral procession. The procession stretched nearly a kilometre and was joined by around 500 people.

At the cremation ground near Bawli Chungi on the Delhi–Saharanpur highway, Dhankar’s son Abhishek performed the final rites after the senior IPS officer was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour. 

The funeral was attended by family members, relatives, friends, and a large contingent of police, CBI, CISF, CRPF, and BSF personnel. Representing Tripura Police, senior officers including Rajiv Singh, Anish Prasad, Sourabh Tripathi, Kanta Jangir, Ramesh Yadav, Laki Chouhan and several others were present to bid farewell to their colleague.

Among those present was Uttar Pradesh Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Social Welfare Asim Arun, a former IPS officer and Dhankar’s 1994‑batch colleague. Arun recalled their long association, noting that they trained together at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie and the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad, and later served side by side in the United Nations Mission in Kosovo. “He was a dedicated officer and a trusted friend. His passing is a personal and professional loss,” Arun said.

Dhankar, a 1994‑batch IPS officer, was found hanging inside the washroom of his chamber at the Tripura Police Headquarters on Monday. Police registered a case of unnatural death and are investigating the circumstances. Initial findings suggest it may be a case of suicide, though forensic and other investigative procedures are underway to ascertain the exact cause.

Dhankar assumed charge as Tripura’s DGP in May 2025 after being promoted from Additional Director General of Police. He was due to retire in about 11 months. Over his distinguished career, he supervised several high‑profile investigations, including the CBI probe into the Rs 13,000‑crore Punjab National Bank fraud involving fugitive businessman Nirav Modi and the reinvestigation of the 1984 anti‑Sikh riots cases.

His untimely death has left the police fraternity and the people of Tripura in deep shock. Tributes poured in from colleagues and officials across the country, remembering him as a committed officer who upheld the highest standards of policing.

Dhankar is survived by his wife and son, who is currently based in Canada.

The Tripura Government has announced that a committee of senior police officers will examine all aspects of the case, while forensic teams continue their investigation.