Who Is IPS Nalin Prabhat To Be Next J&K Top Cop Amid Spate Of Terror Attacks

New Delhi: Amidst a sudden surge in terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir, the central government, on Thursday, appointed former Director General (DG) of the National Security Guard (NSG), Nalin Prabhat as Special DG of the Jammu and Kashmir Police. A three-time gallantry medal winner, Prabhat, who is a 1992-batch IPS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, will take over as the new DGP of the Union Territory following the tenure completion of incumbent Director General of Police (DGP) RR Swain on September 30.

The announcement was made a day after the central government ordered an interstate deputation of IPS Nalin Prabhat from the Andhra Pradesh cadre to the AGMUT cadre with immediate effect curtailing his tenure in the NSG, India’s elite counter-terror force. Prabhat was serving as the NSG DG before being appointed as the Special DG of the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Nalin Prabhat’s posting in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir comes as a significant move by the Centre at a time when there is a spurt in terror activities in J&K, especially in the Jammu region. It is also being considered as a crucial step ahead of expected Assembly elections in the Union Territory.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday announced the decision noting that highly decorated IPS officer Nalin Prabhat will take over the leadership of the force following the retirement of RR Swain on September 30. This will mark a significant change in the region's security leadership.

The AGMUT stands for Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory cadre for which the controlling authority is the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Nalin Prabhat, A Counter-Maoist and Counter-Terrorists Specialist

Nalin Prabhat, a graduate of Delhi University’s St Stephens College, has spent most of his career in conflict zones, largely serving in the Naxal-affected areas of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, apart from long stints in Kashmir and Ladakh. In the very beginning of his career, Prabhat served as an ASP in Andhra Pradesh’s elite counter-Naxal commando force Greyhounds. As per sources, Prabhat volunteered to join the force, and served as an “assault commander” in it. He went on to head the force in 2018-19.

At the peak of Naxal violence in Andhra Pradesh, Prabhat served as the Superintendent of Police in Karimnagar and Warangal between 1998 and 2004. Both Karimnagar and Warangal were then among the worst Naxal-affected districts. Sources said it was Prabhat who led the police team during the Koyyur encounter in Karimnagar that led to the killing of three top central committee members of the then CPI (ML) People’s War Group. It was after this encounter that in December 2000, it formed the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army.

Supervised Anti-Terror Operations In South Kashmir

After his stint in Andhra Pradesh, Prabhat was moved to Central deputation, and served in Srinagar and Ladakh with the ITBP as a commandant. In 2007, Prabhat joined the CRPF as DIG (South Kashmir), and supervised anti-terror operations in the region for three years.

He then did brief stints with the CRPF in Chandigarh and in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, before returning to Srinagar again, where he served with the force for another three years. From Srinagar, Prabhat was plunged into another conflict zone as IG (anti-Naxal operations) in Maharashtra, and served in Gadchiroli.

In April 2013, he was brought back to Srinagar to head the CRPF’s operations in the region. He went on to become the ADG at CRPF headquarters in Delhi before being sent to Kashmir again in early 2023.

Appointed NSG DG In May 2024

IPS Nalin Prabhat was appointed as the Director General of the NSG in May this year. Those who have worked with Prabhat call him a “hands-on officer” who likes the field more than being in office. He is also seen as having a deep understanding of counter-insurgency and guerrilla warfare.

His gallantry medals have all come from his deputation in different conflict zones – one when he was posted in Andhra, one when in South Kashmir and one in Srinagar. Apart from this, he has won awards and commendations such as the Parakram Padak, two Antarik Suraksha Padaks, Police Medal, and Bar and Police Medal for Meritorious Service.

One of the biggest security challenges of his career was the 2010 Chintalnar massacre, in which over 70 CRPF soldiers were killed in a Maoist ambush in Bastar. Prabhat was then the DIG (Bastar) with the CRPF.