Former Director General and Inspector General of Police (DGP & IGP) of Karnataka, Om Prakash, was found dead at his residence in HSR Layout in Bengaluru, on Sunday, April 20. Preliminary reports suggest that the 68-year-old retired IPS officer was stabbed to death. His wife has been taken into custody for questioning.
His body was discovered at his residence in a pool of blood, and has been sent for autopsy to ascertain the exact cause of death.
Om Prakash, a 1981-batch Indian Police Service officer from the Karnataka cadre, had a career spanning over three decades. He assumed office as the state's police chief on February 28, 2015, and retired in 2017. Before taking over as DGP, he served in several key positions, including heading the Fire and Emergency Services and Home Guards. He had also played a critical role in managing the 1993 Bhatkal communal riots and had extensive experience in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Vigilance Cell, and Lokayukta.
Hailing from Champaran district in Bihar, Om Prakash held a postgraduate degree in Geology and began his police career as the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Harapanahalli, then part of Ballari district. He went on to serve as Superintendent of Police in multiple districts, including Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, and Chikkamagaluru, and rose through the ranks to hold key roles such as DIG (Administration), DIG (Northern Range), ADGP (Crime and Technical Services), and ADGP (Grievances and Human Rights).