Bhubaneswar: Anup Kumar Sahoo on Tuesday assumed charge as the city's deputy commissioner of police.

The 2006-batch IPS officer replaced Satyabrata Bhoi, who will take over as the deputy inspector general, northern range, Sambalpur.

Sahoo said after taking charge that crime control, VIP security and women's safety would be his top priorities.

"Besides, I will also focus on maintaining law and order, traffic management and tackling of cyber crime."

However, prevention of petty crimes such as snatching would be the biggest challenge for Sahoo. Cases of snatching have been a major menace for the city with a dozen cases being reported this month already. The goons target people from every sphere of life, especially morning walkers.

Official statistics of the crime branch suggests that 7,139 cognizable cases were registered in the city last year. The cases include 29 murders, 125 cases of rape, 193 for robbery and 222 burglaries.

Preventing engineering students from criminal activities will also be another challenge for the city new top cop and the police. By November 2017, the cops arrested 123 engineering students for criminal activities. Eighty per cent of the accused were involved in crimes here. Besides, circulation of obscene videos on social media has also emerged as a challenge for the police.

Sahoo was Jajpur superintendent of police when he was shifted to neighbouring Bhadrak district last April in the wake of a group clash in that district. He has also worked as superintendent of police in Puri and Koraput before being appointed in his present role.

Police commissioner Y.B. Khurania also welcomed Sahoo. "I have worked with him and he is a capable and hardworking officer. Everyone is aware that he was shifted to Bhadrak due to a specific reason and he was able to handle it properly. I wish him all the best for his new assignment," said Khurania.