Cuttack: The Odisha Police football team made a courtesy visit to Director General of Police (DGP) Binaytosh Mishra at the State Police Headquarters after clinching the MGM FAO Football League title.
Organised jointly by the Football Association of Odisha (FAO) and the State Sports Department, the league concluded with a grand ceremony where DGP Mishra congratulated the champions, praising their exceptional talent, discipline, and commitment to sports excellence.
The occasion also reflected the broader momentum in the regional sports ecosystem, supported prominently by figures like MGM Group CMD Shri Pankaj Lochan Mohanty, who continues to drive sports development initiatives across Odisha.
Addressing the players, DGP Shri Mishra highlighted that athletes within the Odisha Police force continue to elevate the department’s reputation through their dedication and hard work. He noted that this triumph in the FAO Football League will inspire fellow sportspersons in the force to pursue higher levels of athletic performance, expressing confidence that the police sports wing will achieve even greater accolades in the future.
The championship clash took place on August 16 at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Odisha Police delivered a dominant performance to secure a 5-1 victory over Young Utkal Club in the final. Purushottam Kerketta spearheaded the attack with two goals, supported by single strikes from Lakhai Murmu, Raisen Tudu, and Bijay Behera. This decisive victory highlighted the squad’s technical prowess and team unity. Along with the championship trophy, the winning side was awarded a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.
Several senior officials attended the felicitation program at the headquarters to encourage the team, including Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Sanjay Kumar, Inspector General of Police (Personnel) Praveen Kumar, and Sports Officer Neelamadhab Swain.