Calcutta: The Bengal government has picked 1985 batch IPS officer Virendra as the new director-general of police and create a new post - advisor (security) - for current DGP Surajit Kar Purkayastha after his retirement on May 31, sources in Nabanna said.

Virendra is currently posted as the DG (security).

S.N. Gupta, a 1992 batch IPS officer, will head the security directorate which looks after the protection of chief minister and other VVIPs after Virendra becomes the DGP. Gupta is the present director of security.

"Files related to the changes in the highest echelons of the police have already been signed by the chief minister. But it is still not clear what the role of the outgoing DGP would be as the advisor (security)," said a senior government official.

Some officials said Kar Purkayastha was likely to be an advisor to the chief minister on security-related issues, which means indirectly, he would have a role in running the police force.

"This is a prize posting for the chief minister's trusted police officer," said an official.

Kar Purkayastha was the first DGP in Bengal to be given an extension after his official retirement in 2016.

He was earlier speculated to become OSD (officer on special duty) in the home department. Sources at Nabanna said earlier, a post was supposed to be created for him to look after some administrative matters relating to the home department.