New Delhi, Jan 15 (IANS): Hours after assuming charge as Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Wednesday, Anand Prakash Maheshwari has decided to visit Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.

The Uttar Pradesh cadre, 1984 batch IPS officer, who was appointed CRPF chief on January 13, will spend whole day in the Kashmir Valley and attend the unified command meeting there before returning back to Delhi on Friday, said sources.

Earlier in the day, Maheshwari took over from ITBP Director General S.S. Deswal who was given the additional charge to head the country's largest paramilitary force, after DG R.R. Bhatnagar retired on December 31.

Maheshwari, who will hold the post till his retirement in February next year, was handed over the DG's ceremonial DG at the CRPF headquarters and also accorded a guard of honour by force personnel.

The Special Secretary, Internal Security, in the Ministry of Home Affairs prior to this, he has earlier worked in the CRPF as Inspector General and Deputy Inspector General.

He has also headed the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) and served as an Additional DG in the Border Security Force.

The CRPF, with about 3.25 lakh personnel in its ranks, is the lead internal security force of the country mandated to conduct anti-Maoist operations and to undertake counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir. It also provides security to some VIPs.