Jamshedpur, July 11: The police chief of Hazaribagh, Ashish Batra, today took charge as the new superintendent of police of East Singhbhum from his predecessor Sanjay Anand Lathkar.

The former SP has been transferred to Maharashtra on a three-year deputation.

Soon after taking charge, Batra held a meeting with the deputy superintendents of police in his chamber.

An IPS officer of the 1997 batch, Batra promised a people-friendly police force. ?I prefer to work with the people. I would try to ensure the law and order of the city. Jamshedpur is a city of intellectuals and is different from other cities of the state. I hope it would not be difficult to serve the people here,? said the new superintendent of police.

On being asked about his priorities, the new SP said a considerable part of the district is affected by extremism, adding that the prime objective of the department would be to combat rebels.

A computer engineer, Batra said he could have joined a corporate house and led a peaceful life. But he loved to meet new challenges and therefore, joined the police service.

?I am yet to take stock of the city and unless I understand the city well, I cannot spell out my priorities, but as far as extremism is concerned, combating it effectively will be one of our top priorities,? he said.

Known for his brief stint as superintendent of police in several districts, Batra had earlier been posted as Hazaribagh SP.

Giving an account of his posting in different cities of the state, Batra said he underwent training as assistant superintendent, Jehanabad, for three months. He was also the superintendent of police, Koel Karo, for five months and remained attached to the governor?s security for one-and-a-half years, as city SP, Ranchi, for 19 months and SP of Hazaribagh for 11 months.

The outgoing SP, Lathkar, said streamlining the traffic in the city was his priority apart from maintaining law and order. He informed that the department of traffic police would soon get the power to charge spot fines for which the East Singhbhum district police had been making efforts for the past one decade.

?The letter which the deputy commissioner of East Singhbhum and myself had jointly written to the director- general of police, Jharkhand, to give the police spot fine power, has been forwarded to the home ministry for approval,? said Lathkar.