SP Vaid appointed as Director General of J&K police

The Jammu and Kashmir government on 28 December 2016 cleared the appointment of Dr Shesh Pal Vaid, Special DG, Coordination and Law and Order, as new Director General of Police. Vaid, the 1986 batch Indian Police Services (IPS) officer of J&K cadre, will hold the office until October 2019.

He will succeed DGP K Rajendra, whose extended term of service will end on 31 December 2016. Kumar was appointed as DGP of J&K in May 2014 and later was given an extension of three months during the unrest that occurred in the valley after killing of a militant named Burhan Wani.

His appointment was approved at a cabinet meet chaired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
He is the second officer from Jammu to have risen to the post of Director General of Police. MM Khajuria was the first person from Jammu to hold the position. He held the position in 1985.

About Shesh Pal Vaid

• He carries an immense experience in operations against the militants.

• He was promoted to the rank of DG and appointed as DGP (Prisons) on 3 March 2016.

• He was transferred and posted as Special DG (Coordination and Law & Order) on 8 September 2016.

• He survived a major explosion in September 1991, while serving as the Superintendent of Police, Jammu.

• On 21 March 1991, he was ambushed by militants. At that time, he was posted in the Baramulla-Kupwara range near Sopore as Deputy Inspector General of Police.

As per reports, Vaid was chosen for the post ahead of 1985-batch officer SK Mishra, his senior, because the ruling combine of PDP-BJP wanted to appoint a local officer for the post. Apart from Vaid, another IPS officer of 1987-batch SM Sahai’s name was under consideration for the post but recently he was transferred to Delhi.