Army officer made SSP in J&K, Mehbooba questions move

A senior army officer will be heading a police unit in J&K, according to a government order issued on Friday night. Terming it unusual, former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has questioned the appointment.

PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti has termed the move unusual.

Colonel Vikrant Prasher, presently posted at Para High Altitude Warfare School, Gulmarg, has been appointed as SSP, training and special operations, in J&K police on deputation basis for two years. The order was issued by Chandraker Bharti, principal secretary of the J&K home department. As per the order, he will get all the perks as per entitlement of the said rank.

Taking to X, Mehbooba Mufti wrote, “We are told J&K has the same rights and rules as applied elsewhere in the country. Wonder why & under what special status is the local admin ordering the most unusual appointment of a Colonel as SSP in J&K police?”

the J&K Police have appointed an Army officer as the Senior Superintendent of Police (Training and Special Operations) in the Union Territory.

At present, the Army officer, Colonel Vikrant Prasher from Para, was posted with the Army’s High Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg, Kashmir. The Army officer will serve J&K for a period of two years on a deputation basis.

Indian Army’s High Altitude Warfare School located at Gulmarg is specialised in high and super-high altitude warfare training. On Friday, the JK Home Department issued the order, appointing him as the SSP (Training and Special Operations), with “immediate effect.”

This is for the first time in the recent past that a serving Army officer has been deputed to the J&K police, which has been at the forefront of anti-militancy operations.

Meanwhile, former CM and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti wrote on X, “We are told that J&K has the same rights and rules as applied elsewhere in the country. Wonder why & under what special status is the local administration ordering the most unusual appointment of a Colonel as the SSP in the J&K police?”