With key posts allocated, local officers again at the core of J-K Police
Nine of Kashmir’s 13 police districts are led by the native residents of Jammu and Kashmir, which is a fresh ‘change of strategy’ after the Centre abrogated the special status of the erstwhile State
As the increasing number of local officers in the Jammu and Kashmir Police take charge of key positions, experts believe that the administration has employed a fresh ‘strategy’ to improve the policing in the Valley of Kashmir.
The number of local officials in charge of police districts in Kashmir Valley has increased to nine following a recent reshuffle within the department, authorized by the Jammu and Kashmir administration.
Local officers at the helm in majority of police districts
Two local officers, Sheema Nabi Qasba and Shabir Nawab, have been appointed as district police chiefs in Kashmir, following a reshuffle ordered by the Jammu and Kashmir’s Home department on Wednesday.
Sheema Nabi Qasba, SP (Tech) CID headquarters, has been assigned as Superintendent of Police at Handwara, while Shabir Nawab, a JKPS officer, has been appointed as the new Superintendent of Police at Sopore.
This latest reshuffle order brings the total number of local police officials in charge of police districts in Kashmir to nine. In total, there are 13 police districts in Kashmir Valley.
Among the locals already serving as district police chiefs in Kashmir are Rakesh Balwal (SSP Srinagar), Rayees Bhat (SSP Baramulla), Yougal Manhas (SSP Kupwara), Ghulam Jeelani Wani (SSP Pulwama), Shabir Nawab (SP Sopore), Tahir Saleem Khan (SSP Budgam), Muhammad Yousuf (SSP Awantipora), and Zahid Malik (SSP Bandipora).
It is to be noted here that three of the nine officers are IPS officers, while the rest are JKPS officers.
‘Change of strategy’ in the policing
After the latest postings, experts believe that the administration has finally realized that better policing is only possible with the local officers taking charge of key postings.
“There was a change after the abrogation of Article 370, with more and more non-local officers holding the ranks of SP or DySP. However, the authorities are now giving importance to local officers who have a good record of policing. This is a change of strategy,” a retired police officer Mohammad Rajab (name changed on request) told Digpu News in a candid chat.
He, however, stated that the recent attacks on non-local labourers were a serious concern of the department, which has already initiated some notable changes in local policing including the guarding of residences of vulnerable people, mostly non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits.
A police officer, while speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the local personnel have been handed crucial roles in the police.
While referring to the latest ‘transfer and posting’ orders, the officer said that the presence of local police officers at important posts is comparatively better than it was during the era when elected administrations were governing the former State.
