The abrupt transition, executed on Friday, caught all senior officials at Delhi Police Headquarters on Jai Singh Road off guard.
Golcha had assumed charge on August 22, 2025, and his tenure was to end next year.
This is the second time within a year that the Ministry of Home Affairs, which controls the Delhi Police, has replaced the Delhi Police Commissioner before the completion of the incumbent’s tenure, which is usually two years or more.
Sources indicate that there cannot be any single reason behind the move to oust Golcha.
They say various incidents — the handling of the Jantar Mantar protest by the Cockroach Janata Party; Red Fort blast case; security breach at Vidhan Sabha and arrests of police personnel in graft cases by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) could be behind Golcha's sudden exit.
Delhi has also seen a recent sudden spate in the incidents of violent crimes, including stabbings. Sources say a premium is now being placed on intelligence-based policing by placing at the helm a seasoned Intelligence Bureau man in Anurag Kumar.
Golcha in the day handed over the charge to his successor Kumar and was directed by the MHA to report to the Lieutenant Governor.The Centre is equally concerned about the safety and security, traffic management of the national capital, which became evident from its moves in the past such as appointment of former diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu as the L-G of the city.
Sandhu, after assuming charge, visited the Traffic Police Headquarters in Todapur, directing the officials to manage the crowd on the roads in an efficient way.
Sources indicate that Golcha, in his capacity as the CP, failed to deliver the desired results and this could possibly be a reason for the sudden change.
Sources suggest that the MHA is looking to completely overhaul the law and order apparatus in the national capital, prioritising pre-emptive intelligence-gathering over traditional policing methodologies in the run-up to key administrative transitions.
The appointment of Anurag Kumar brings deep counter-intelligence and security expertise along with him to his new role, as he spent nearly two decades in the Intelligence Bureau, where he most recently served as Special Director.
The move to appoint a senior intelligence officer as the new CP reflects the Centre’s focus on strengthening policing, law and order and internal security in the national capital.
His career has been largely associated with intelligence and internal security rather than conventional policing. Senior IB officers coordinate closely with the state police, central armed police forces, and other security agencies on counterterrorism, espionage, VIP security, and threat assessments.