Jammu and Kashmir, preparing for a new future through assembly elections being held after a decade-long gap and amidst spiralling terrorism in the hitherto ‘peaceful’ and ‘less-militarised’ Jammu region, is all set to draw on the expertise of a highly decorated and experienced IPS officer with a stellar track-record in counterinsurgency.

Former National Security Guard (NSG) chief Nalin Prabhat, who has been appointed by the Union government as special director general of the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) police, will take charge after the current director general of police R.R. Swain retires on September 30.

Prabhat will assume duty just as J&K votes in the last of the three-phased polling on October 1, with the results to be declared on October 4. His tenure will critically coincide with the beginning of a new political era in J&K, in which an effective counterterrorism strategy will be paramount for lasting peace to aid development.

The selection of Prabhat, a 1992 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IPS officer, for what is clearly the toughest police job in the country, is a strategic move by the government at a crucial juncture for J&K, where a disturbing spike in Pakistan-backed terrorism in the Jammu sector—believed to also be thriving on renewed local support—threatens to undo the counterterrorism successes of the past many years.

Prabhat’s experience in J&K is well-established. He was previously inspector general (IG) and additional director general (ADG) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and led key operations in Kashmir, including as the paramilitary’s deputy inspector general (DIG) for South Kashmir from 2007 to 2010. Prabhat’s role in counterinsurgency operations has earned him three Police Medals for Gallantry.

The decision to appoint Prabhat was taken shortly after a top-level security assessment, chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh, in which key figures such as National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, and senior officials participated. The timing underscores the pressing need to address the rapidly escalating terror threat in J&K.

The recent attacks on security forces indicate a shift in Pakistan’s tactics, with terror operatives focusing on ‘terror-free’ and ‘less militarised’ areas. The strikes are believed to involve the Pakistan army’s elite Special Service Group (SSG). Security experts say the precision and coordination of the attacks point to command and control by the higher-level Pakistani military leadership. The security establishment has pointed to the infiltration of SSG commandos into Indian territory as a significant concern.

Prabhat is not new to the J&K terrain. He has extensive experience in handling sensitive operations through stints in the CRPF. As IG of operations and ADG, he oversaw deployments in Kashmir. As DIG of South Kashmir range, he gained extensive experience in counterinsurgency operations. In 2008, Prabhat received the President’s Medal for Gallantry for his role in an operation in South Kashmir in which four hardcore militants were gunned down.

In his new security role in J&K, Prabhat will be leading the police force against militants who have changed strategies to target the Jammu region. Another highlight is the shift from use of locally trained terrorists to military-trained operatives, suggesting the hand of Pakistan’s SSG.

A calibrated and coordinated action is thus needed to plug gaps if any in the counterinsurgency grid in Jammu, which could be potentially aiding the infiltration of terror operatives from south of the Pir Panjal range, including the International Border areas in Jammu and Kathua.

Former J&K DGP Shesh Paul Vaid has claimed that Pakistan’s top army commanders are behind the recent attacks in Jammu region. “It is no surprise given the precision with which these attacks have been carried out. It is an act of war and India needs to respond accordingly,” Vaid said.

Vaid also indicated that a big number of SSG commandos may have been readied across the border. So far, only a few have managed to infiltrate while the rest are expected to try and find their way in subsequently. It all indicates the impending long haul for security forces and the need to be prepared for any eventuality, Vaid said.

The J&K police have acknowledged the presence of 70-80 foreign-origin terrorists in the Union territory. A key security officer said these terrorists aren’t ‘fidayeen’ (suicide attackers). Rather, their tactic of hiding in the jungles was typical of highly trained soldiers, who can survive for days without contact with the outside world, more so since the mountainous terrain of Jammu division provides for many readymade hideouts.

While handling militancy, Prabhat will also have to delicately navigate the dynamics of the politically sensitive region, especially in the aftermath of repeal of Article 370 of the Constitution in 2019 and withdrawal of J&K’s special status. As the topmost police officer, one of Prabhat’s jobs would be to bridge the trust deficit between the police and the political ecosystem.

Prabhat, 55, also has extensive experience against Maoists as he has headed Andhra Pradesh’s specialised anti-Maoist police force ‘Greyhounds’.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has issued orders curtailing Prabhat’s service as the NSG chief. His inter-cadre deputation from Andhra to Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) for three years has been cleared by the Union home ministry.

Born on March 14, 1968 in Thungri village in Manali, Himachal Pradesh, Prabhat is an alumnus of Delhi University’s St Stephen’s College, where he did his BA (Honours) and MA. In his distinguished career, he has earned several prestigious honours, such as the Police Medal for Gallantry, the Parakram Padak, and the Police Medal for Meritorious and Distinguished Service.

Prabhat’s illustrious career in couterinsurgency, though, has had a bad patch. He was the DIG of CRPF at the time 75 personnel of the force and a Chhattisgarh policeman were killed in a Maoist ambush in Chintalnar in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh in April 2010. It was the first incident in the history of the CRPF in which the causalities were so high. The E.N. Rammohan Committee, set up to probe the attack, is learnt to have made adverse remarks about the CRPF’s area domination exercise, during which they came under the Maoist attack, not being planned properly.

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