Satish Mathur, an IPS officer of the 1981 batch, took over as the new police commissioner of Pune city yesterday.

While speaking to media persons, Mathur said his first priority was to ensure free and fair conditions during the general elections.

Commenting on the Dr Narendra Dabholkar murder case, Mathur said, “This case is very sensitive and an important one. I will do a review of the investigation status and try to expedite the process.”

Mathur has replaced Gulabrao Pol, who was transferred abruptly on Wednesday night (more on page 8). With newly-appointed inspectors at various police stations in the city, Mathur has a tough task ahead. Voting for Lok Sabha is scheduled for April 17 in Pune constituency.