What was the hurry to replace SP Vaid as DGP: Omar Abdullah

Omar Abdullah said, "The current DG won't know if he's going to stay and others who would like his job will be trying to replace him. None of this is good for the Jammu and Kashmir Police."

By: Express Web Desk
New Delhi | September 7, 2018 12:39 PM IST

3 min read

Detained Omar Abdullah to be shifted from Hari Nivas

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said, “The DGP should have been changed only when a permanent arrangement had been worked out.” (File photo)

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Friday criticised the decision to transfer state Director General of Police (DGP), saying there was no hurry to replace SP Vaid and that the J&K Police will now have to deal with the confusion of leadership. He said the reshuffle should have been done only when a permanent arrangement had been worked out even as he acknowledged that it was the prerogative of the administration to change police chiefs.

“There was no hurry to replace SP Vaid. He should have been changed only when a permanent arrangement had been worked out. Jammu and Kashmir Police has enough problems without having to deal with confusion of leadership,” Omar tweeted soon after Vaid’s transfer.

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He also said, “Changing the DG is the prerogative of the administration but why a DG as a temporary arrangement? The current DG won’t know if he’s going to stay and others who would like his job will be trying to replace him. None of this is good for the Jammu and Kashmir Police,” the former CM said.

Vaid was transferred Thursday night following kidnappings of close relatives of 10 personnel of the J&K Police who were abducted by militants on September 1. Even as the relatives of the police personnel were later released, the situation raised an alarm throughout the valley and left the top brass of the police embarrassed.

The 1986-batch IPS officer has now been posted as Transport Commissioner J&K, headquartered in Jammu. DGP Prisons, Dilbagh Singh will take his place till a new appointment is made. Vaid served as Director General of the J&K police from March 2016, until now.

After his removal, Vaid thanked the police department, other security agencies and the people for their support during his tenure as the top cop of the state. “I’m thankful to God that he gave me the opportunity to serve my people and my country. I’m grateful to @JmuKmrPolice, security agencies, and people of J&K for their support and their faith in me. My best wishes to the new DGP,” Vaid said in a tweet.