SP Vaid removed as DGP of J&K, appointed as Transport Commissioner

Update at 11:57 AM: Former J&K DGP Shesh Paul Vaid says: 

"My concern is that youth are dying. It's a difficult situation here for every DGP."

"I must thank my rank and file of J&K police. They gave me full cooperation"

When asked about his message for the youth: "End violence. End the cycle of death"

Update at 11:03 AM: J&K state moves Supreme Court seeking to expedite the appointment of a new DGP at the earliest, and seeking exemption from the procedural requirements to expedite the appointment. It has sought permission from the court to send a list of select candidates to UPSC. Supreme Court agrees to hear the plea and says it will be listed next week

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The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has relieved SP Vaid from his position as the Director General of Police (DGP), Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) following the kidnappings of relatives of security personnel in the valley a few days back. The 1986 IPS officer has been transferred to the General Administration Department (GAD) of the state, where he will serve as the Transport Commissioner.

On a temporary basis, the ministry has decided to appoint Dilbag Singh as Vaid's replacement. Three names that were being considered till now included VK Singh, SM Sahai and Naveen Aggarwal.

Hours after getting transferred, Vaid, who has been serving as the DGP of J&K since past year and a half, thanked the state's police for his time with them and wished his successor good luck. In a Twitter message, he said, 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."

Omar Abdullah, former Chief Minister of J&K lashed out at the authorities for removing Vaid in such a haste. His message on Twitter read, "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"

The youngest CM of the state further added, "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"

This deicision comes less than a week after 11 to 13 relatives of army personnel were kidnaped by terrorists from different parts of J&K. After National Investigative Agency (NIA) arrested Syed Shakeel Ahmad, son of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) leader Syed Salahuddin, from his residence on August 30, terrorists abducted family members of police personnel on the very same day, and continued it for the next two days. The abductions were carried out after the terrorists raided houses of many policemen in the Kashmir Valley. The abductions were carried out from three districts namely Kulgam, Anantnag and Pulwama of South Kashmir.