Going out with a lot of good feelings, says outgoing J&K police chief S P Vaid
Srinagar, Sep 7: The outgoing Jammu and Kashmir police chief Shesh Paul Vaid on Friday said he is "going with a lot of good feelings", even as former chief minister Omar Abdullah questioned the government for removing him in a "hurry".
In a late night development on Thursday, SP Vaid was removed as the Jammu and Kashmir police chief. He will be posted as the state transport commissioner, while Dilbag Singh, DGP (Prisons) will hold the additional charge until a regular arrangement is made.
"I am greatful to god almighty that i got a chance to serve my people and contribute my bit. I am going with lot of good feeling. My only concern is that youth were dying. There is unecessary loss of human life, the sooner it ends, it will be a good news for me," Vaid told news agency ANI today (September 7).
Omar criticised the timing of changing the state DGP, saying there was no hurry to replace SP Vaid and the state police could do without having to deal with the confusion of leadership.
"There was no hurry to replace @spvaid. He should have been changed only when a permanent arrangement had been worked out. @JmuKmrPolice has enough problems without having to deal with confusion of leadership," Omar wrote on Twitter soon after the government announced Vaid's removal.
"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 & others who would like his job will be trying to replace him. None of this is good for @JmuKmrPolice," Omar said.
[SP Vaid removed as J&K police chief; Dilbag Singh to hold additional charge]
While it may have appeared to be a sudden decision, sources told OneIndia that this was on the cards for sometime now. Security is a prime concern and hence these decisions were necessary. One of the main reasons for this move is related to the tit-for-tat kidnappings that took place in South Kashmir recently. There were certain issues, but the events in South Kashmir proved to be the last straw.
Last week three policemen and 8 relatives of police personnel were kidnapped by terrorists in South Kashmir. They were later set free after the police released a dozen family members of terrorists, which included the father of Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Riyaz Naikoo.
[Why was S P Vaid removed as J&K police chief]
The order issued by the principal secretary (Home) said Vaid, a 1986-batch IPS officer, was transferred and posted as the transport commissioner. It added that Singh, a 1987-batch IPS officer, who was heading the prison department, will hold Vaid's charge additionally till a regular arrangement was made.