New Delhi: Goa Director General of Police (DGP), Pranab Nanda passed away in the national capital after suffering a cardiac arrest in the wee hours of Saturday. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Rajesh Kumar told ANI over phone that the state police was officially informed about Nanda's demise at 1 am. "DGP Nanda was travelling to Delhi on leave and had left in the evening after attending two important mentions. The first meeting he attended was the Crime Meeting with the chief secretary of the state. The second meeting he chaired was on the meritorious medals to be given to officers of the state cadre," Kumar said.

Nanda had joined as Goa DGP in February this year after getting back from Central deputation. Leaders took to social media to condole the untimely demise of Goa police chief. "Saddened by the news of demise of Director General of Goa Police Pranab Nanda (IPS). My prayers are with his family. Om Shanti," tweeted Narendra Sawaikar, General Secretary, Goa BJP.

Nanda had joined Indian Police Services (IPS) in 1988 and has served in a number of places including Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi while in the state cadre. He joined the Intelligence Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in 2001 on deputation to the Central Government and remained posted till he joined back the cadre, according to Goa police.

During his tenure in Intelligence Bureau (IB), he had handled VVIP Security in India and abroad, dealt with counter-insurgency and militancy in the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram. He was also posted to the Embassy of India, Kabul, Afghanistan where he handled the security of Indians and projects being implemented by the Government of India in Afghanistan.

He was a recipient of Indian Police Medal of Meritorious Service, President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service, Special Duty Medal for the hard area and 50th Anniversary of Independence Medal. Nanda graduated from Delhi University and had a Masters Degree in Sociology.