 Early Times Report
JAMMU, July 10: The Centre's recent announcement to give one-year extension to J&K's Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Munir Khan is being hailed as a positive development in the militancy-hit Valley, with many people giving Khan credit for being one of the few local police officers who have bravely fought the three-decade old militancy.
Khan was granted extension of services after he attained the age of superannuation on June 30, 2019. A decorated police officer, Khan has operated in almost all parts of J&K since his joining the police force as a KPS officer in 1984. A few years later, he joined the elite IPS club.
During his tenure as IGP of Kashmir Range, Khan played a crucial role in tackling the 2016 agitation in the Valley after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani.
Munir Khan was awarded the Sher-e-Kashmir Police medal for meritorious services for leading counter-terrorism operations from the front and is credited with making the Kashmir police a frontline fighting force with his ears and action on the ground.
"Munir Sahab not only tackled militancy of the 1990s with iron hands but he brought civilian protests under control paving way for restoration of peace in the Valley," said a non-local IPS officer, who wished not to be named. Khan, he added, tops the list of a handful of local police officers "who did not shy away from fighting the Pakistan-sponsored terrorism" in the Valley.
"He (Munir Khan) is a true nationalist, a true Indian. He held the tricolour high in Kashmir when many police officers identified themselves with the militancy. He did not care for his life while braving all odds," said the IPS officer, adding "The Union government did the right thing as Munir Sahab fully deserved an extension."
During his tenure as IGP Kashmir, Munir Khan reportedly found that many of the officers from armed police had been working as SHOs in various police stations and were allegedly posted on "political influence." Such postings were found a reason behind deteriorating situation in the Valley that time. "But unwilling to buy any political pressures, Khan had reportedly transferred all such offers back to the armed police," a report said.
To check preparedness of his cops, Khan would inspect police stations even in the late night hours. At least 10 top militant commanders were killed during his stint as the IGP Kashmir.
"Policemen engaged in anti-militancy operations draw their strength and inspiration from their leaders like Munir Khan," a report in a Delhi-based newspaper once wrote about Khan.
It added: "There are two mantras that form the core belief of Munir Khan: a sense of oneness with the men fighting on the ground. It comes when officers, like him, stand with them in the operations to share everything that can happen in a life-threatening situation while fighting well-armed militants. That gives them courage to fight for peace.
"Secondly, he believes that the coordination with other wings of the security forces is the key to success in operations. The dynamism of synergy is very important in tough situations."
Meanwhile, few days after the Centre gave Munir Khan one-year extension, some vested elements attempted to tarnish his image by falsely accusing his wife of grabbing state land in Gupkar area of Srinagar.
The alleged land grab, that never was, had put the officer and his family's security at risk. Head of the Custodian Department of Kashmir, Bashir Ahmed Mir, wrote on June 26 to the Station House Officer (SHO), Ram Munshi Bagh, urging him to get the "illegal constructional activity stopped" at a plot of land at Gupkar by Khan's wife Gulshereen. The Custodian Department is meant to safeguard the property left behind by the people who crossed over to Pakistan or Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK) in 1947.
Ironically, days after the letter, the Custodian wrote another letter to the SHO concerned, stating that "after the perusal of the records furnished, the matter needs no police action."
It may be mentioned that two months ago, a multi-departmental committee of officials had observed that Munir Khan's wife is the lawful owner of this piece of land and did not indicate any land grab by the family.
"I had sought re-verification of the land as it is adjacent to a big chunk of land belonging to the Custodian Department. An issue was made out of it," custodian Mir said.
While it turned out that there was no land grab by the Khan family, the whole matter has raised many questions and also put Khan's under security risk. "I have no doubt that on somebody's instructions, they compromised my security," Khan said, adding that it was important that he and his family lived at a safe place.
The ADGP said the land was bought in the name of his wife after they sold out their ancestral property in Jammu. Khan said the funny part of the entire story was that the complainant in the case was also fake. |
