Vijay Kumar, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 1997 batch, was appointed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, on Saturday.
Mr. Kumar has received three gallantry medals from the Central government for his role in anti-terror operations.
He replaces S.P. Pani, who has been transferred and posted as IGP, Armed Wing, Kashmir, according to an order issued by Shaleen Kabra, principal secretary to the J&K government. Mr. Pani, a 2000- batch IPS officer, joined as the IGP in February 2018 at the age of 41, becoming the youngest ever to hold the post. He remained in charge of the law and order situation through the difficult phase of 2018, which saw the peaking of local militancy, and then to the run-up of August 5, when the Centre decided to revoke J&K’s special status.
Mr. Kumar was brought to J&K seven months ago from Chhattisgarh where he was IG, CRPF in the Chhattisgarh sector. Kumar played a crucial role during many state elections in 2018 for which he was awarded the Election Commission Award by the President.
He has received three gallantry medals from the Central government for his role in anti-terror operations and has also received a gallantry award from the J&K government.
He had also handled the Jat agitation in 2016.
A post—graduate from JNU, Kumar has served in J&K Police in various capacities in the past. He is the first appointed IG of the newly—created Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.
