Major J&K Police Reform Under Viksit Bharat-2047: DIGs, SPs Adopt Stations

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Police has rolled out a sweeping reform under Viksit Bharat-2047, appointing 257 senior officers from DIGs to SPs as mentors for each of the Union Territory’s 257 Police Stations, aiming to strengthen citizen-centric policing and institutional accountability.

The Police J&K Headquarters said that the initiative, valid for one year, follows recommendations of the DGPs/IGPs Conference, stressing the need to harness senior officers’ experience for grassroots policing.

“This approach will strengthen institutions, ensure equitable policing and realization of Viksit Bharat-2047,” the order reads.

The mentors will focus on ethics, values, and public service ethos, while monitoring the cleanliness of premises, staff facilities, and reception areas. They will also review digital tools under CCTNS/ICJS and encourage the adoption of technologies like e-beat systems and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

However, the order clarified that the mentors will not interfere in routine crime investigations, administrative or financial matters, or operational decisions, which remain under district police offices.

Pertinently, DIG Rayees Mohammad Bhat has been assigned to Shergari Police Station in Srinagar, Rajiv Pandey to Nishat, Sridhar Patil to Janipura, Mubassir Latifi to Nagrota, and Rajeshwar Singh to Gool. Others include Jatinder Singh Johar at Gandhi Nagar, Zahid Manhas at Gharota, and Tahir Sajad Bhat at Cyber Police Station, Jammu.

This structured mentorship program, the officials believed, will enhance community outreach, modernize policing practices, and align Jammu and Kashmir Police with the national vision of Viksit Bharat-2047.

“Real change will only come if these senior officers step beyond paperwork and genuinely connect with communities otherwise, it risks becoming another reform that looks good on paper but fails on the ground,” said Raouf Khan, a college student.