Shake-Up in J&K Police: New Roles for 113 Officers Across the UT
In a significant overhaul, the Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered the transfer of 17 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers and 96 Jammu and Kashmir Police Service (JKPS) officers across the Union Territory. This extensive reshuffle impacts key divisions ranging from field-level operations to specialized security and forensic units, marking the first major organizational move since Nalin Prabhat assumed the role of Director General of Police (DGP) in October last year.
Reshuffle Highlights
This restructuring follows a smaller reshuffle in November, involving over three dozen officers, but Thursday night’s decision marks a broader, strategic realignment within the police hierarchy.
IPS Transfers
- Uttam Chand, a 2002 batch IPS officer, has been appointed as IGP (Police Operations and Services) at the Police Headquarters, filling an available vacancy.
- Sarah Rizvi, previously serving as DIG IR Jammu, has been posted as DIG Udhampur-Reasi Range, replacing Rayees Mohammad Bhat, who is now DIG CID Kashmir.
- Sheikh Junaid Mehmood and Umesh Kumar have taken roles as DIG IR Kashmir and DIG Training at PHQ, respectively, also filling available vacancies.
Key District-Level Postings
- Raghav S., now SP Tech CID Headquarters, replaces Amritpal Singh, who takes over as SSP Anantnag, succeeding G.V. Sundeep Chakravarthy, the new SSP Srinagar.
- J.S. Johar assumes charge as Director, Police Telecommunications, while Ajaz Ahmad Bhat has been appointed SSP Traffic City Srinagar.
Specialized Appointments
The reshuffle also impacts positions within technical services and women-focused security roles:
- Divya D. becomes SP State Investigation Agency (SIA), Kashmir, while Tanushree moves to SIA Headquarters.
- Bisma Qazi takes charge as Commandant JKAP’s Second Women Battalion, reflecting an emphasis on gender-focused policing.
JKPS Transfers
Among the 96 JKPS officers transferred, significant appointments include:
- Suhail Munawar Mir as Commissioner, Civil Military Liaison.
- Ramesh Kumar Angral as Director, Kashmir Home Guards, and Mohammad Arshad as Director, Home Guards, Jammu.
- Tahir Sajad Bhat assumes the role of Additional Director SIA, while Imtiyaz Hussain Mir takes charge as Director, Civil Defence & SDRF, Kashmir.
- Mohammad Arif Rishu becomes Principal, State Training Centre (STC), Talwara, focusing on enhanced training infrastructure.
Additional appointments reflect the UT government’s aim to streamline operations in economic offenses and border battalions. Abdul Waheed Shahhas takes charge as SSP Economic Offenses Wing, Srinagar, while Ashok Kumar Sharma leads the 4th Security Battalion JKAP.
Strategic Implications
This reshuffle is seen as an effort to optimize security operations and administrative efficiency in the Union Territory. The inclusion of officers in specialized roles, such as investigation agencies and training centers, signals a focus on modernizing the police force to meet emerging challenges.
The restructuring is expected to bolster counter-terrorism efforts, improve inter-agency collaboration, and strengthen community policing measures in Jammu and Kashmir.
