Ashok Chaturvedi takes over as RAW chief

New Delhi, Jan 31 (UNI) Mr Ashok Chaturvedi took over as the new chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the country's external intelligence agency, here today.

Mr Chaturvedi, who belongs to the 1970 batch of the Indian Police Service (Madhya Pradesh cadre), succeeds Mr Hormiz Tharakan, an IPS officer of the Kerala cadre, who retired today.

He was the deputy chief of RAW and Special Secretary (R) in the Cabinet Secretariat before he was elevated to his new position. He had joined RAW in 1975 as a young officer and has served the organisation in different capacities.

Mr Chaturvedi told UNI tonight that his first priority would be to run the agency in a "professional manner" to tackle the scourge of insurgency and terrorism infesting the country through "external linkages".

UNI