Former Ranchi SSP Saket Kumar Singh (right) welcomes his successor Bhimsen Tuti on Friday. Picture by Hardeep Singh

Insurgency specialist-policeman Bhimsen Tuti on Friday took charge as senior police superintendent (SSP) of Ranchi district, his long experience of serving Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) likely to stand him in good stead at a time when terror links are surfacing in and around the state capital.

His predecessor Saket Kumar Singh, who has now been transferred to Police Training College in Hazaribagh as superintendent of police, handed Tuti his charge in the presence of mediapersons and police officers.

Tuti, an IPS officer of 2004 batch, J&K cadre, who helped NIA solve Delhi High Court bomb blast case as an SP in Kishtwar district, J&K, has Jharkhand links that go deep.

He is an alumnus of St John’s School, Ranchi, Netarhat Vidyalaya, Latehar, and St Xavier’s College, Ranchi.

Before he joined the police forces, Tuti, a BTech from IIT-Kharagpur (Class of 1998), had qualified the Indian Engineering Service and had a stint with Indian Railways.

In J&K, Tuti was posted in Sopore, a prosperous apple town of Baramullah district, the rugged terrain of Leh and scenic, yet vulnerable administrative hub Kishtwar.

In his Kishtwar posting as SP, Tuti earned the reputation of a smart strategist who helped the NIA arrest three terrorists. He also led three encounters in which three terrorists were killed.

He came to Jharkhand this March as SP of the elite special task force (STF).

Taking charge, he told the media about his priorities.

“I will prepare myself to tackle normal crime along with Naxalism and terrorism. I will try to ensure maximum conviction after registration of FIRs against criminal. I will try to uphold the tradition of Ranchi police, which has glorious past,” he said.

Asked if he would make changes in the new team, he said: “The team is fine. Rather, I am new to the team and will try to get properly adjusted with it.”

Referring to the Patna serial blasts on the day of BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s rally on October 27, Tuti said: “VIP security is a big challenge.”

“I will adopt standard operating procedures to the fullest detail to ensure security to VIPs whenever required,” he added.

Asked to compare policing in J&K and Jharkhand, he said: “J&K police has to deal with separatists forces. Jharkhand has no separatists.”

On making police people-friendly, he agreed they had to take “every possible steps” to win the confidence of people.

“We will hold regular meetings to bridge the communication gap between the police and public,” he promised.