Jammu Kashmir Government has confirmed SP Vaid as Director General of Police of the State. He will take charge from the incumbent State Police Chief K.Rajendra.Paul Vaid, joined Indian Police Service in the year 1986 and was allotted to J&K Cadre, which incidedntally happens to be his home state. he did his practical training in Srinagar District. He was posted as ASP Headquarters, Budgam in Kashmir Valley in December 1988 and subsequently on his promotion, he was posted as District Superintendent of Police Budgam in April 1990 even before he could complete his probation due to sudden serious situation of insurgency that erupted in the valley of Kashmir with a total collapse of civil administration. The officer had to shoulder a huge responsibility of leading one of the most sensitive districts (Budgam) of Kashmir valley which happens to be the home district of Mohammad Yousuf Shah @ Syed Salah-u-din, the Chief Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen and other top commanders of various terrorist outfits. During this period, when there was total collapse of the civil administration, the officer was amongst few valiant Police officers, who kept the Indian Flag flying in those days of civil disobedience and turnoil and led operations against terrorists from the front with the help of few selected policemen and paramilitary forces. During this period, he was attacked a number of times but was lucky to survive.
In September 1991, the officer was posted as SP City, Jammu, in the backdrop of series of bomb blasts that rocked the winter capital(Jammu) of the state and consequent law and order problems following the blasts. The officer displayed professional acumen and unearthend the gang of terrorists responsible for these blasts and in an overnight operation arrested all the 11 terrorists including their Chief Commander of Jammu Region with huge recoveries which were the first sign of terrorism spreading to the winter capital of the state. As a result, the then Governor, G.C.Sexena appreciated S.P.Vaid and his colleagues for their professional achievement. The officer neutralized the gang of subversive elements who had taken the city of Jammu for a ride and he became a household name in the city. In December 1993 ,the officer was posted as District SSP, Udhampur in the backdrop of few Police Stations which were looted by the terrorists. The officer led the District Police in the fight against terrorism from the front and did not allow any other Police Station to be looted. In December 1995, Vaid was posted as AIG(Pers) at State Police Headquarters to assist DGP, J&K as a Principal Staff Officer. At PHQ, he contributed his mite in formulating various Proposals for reorganizing J&K Police to make it a vibrant force. He organized Police arrangements to ensure free and fair Parliamentary and Assembly Elections in 1995 and 1996 respectively which were conducted after a gap of more than seven years of terrorism. He served as SSP Crime Jammu in 1995-1996, where from he was promoted and posted as DIG of Police of Border Range of Baramulla-Kupwara. He was pioneer in establishing Police pickets consisting of selected personnel drawn from the state police to fight against terrorism. He displayed professionalism and motivated the Policemen and Officers to led the operations from the front in association with Paramilitary and Army.
On 23-03-1999, while posted as Range DIG Of Police, Baramulla-Kupwara Range, he was ambushed by a group of terrorists near Sopore crossing on Srinagar-Baramulla Highway, in which he was seriously injured. In July 1999, when the infiltration in Jammu Zone was at its peak, Vaid was posted as DIG Jammu-Kathua Range, where he, after assessing the situation, constituted hundreds of VDCs in border villages besides established Border Police Pickets which had a salutary effect in checking the infiltration. He was successful in working out one of the most sensational double murder case of a prominent Doctor of Jammu and got it challaned within one month. He pursued the trial as a result of which the accused was convicted within one year of the incident It was during the year 2000, when he was posted as Range DIG, Central Kashmir Range, Srinagar that an inter-state network of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) module which was spreading to many States including down south was exposed with recovery of huge consignment of arms and ammunition ( 45 pistols) and LeT plans about pan-India operation were known.He started Police-Community Partnership Group (PCPG), a Community Policing Project, for the first time in the state of J&K which proved a helping hand in the redressal of public grievances and improved the Police-Public relations to a great extent. While posted as IGP, Jammu Zone (October 2004- March 2008) the officer led joint operations conducted by State Police and CPMF, in all the ten districts of Jammu Province , in which most of the top terrorist commanders were neutralized resulting in drop of incidents of violence. He was also instrumental in arresting terrorists responsible for Ayodhya attack and recovered a Tata Sumo vehicle which was modified by miltants in such a manner to conceal AK-47 and carried these from J&K to Ayodhya.
After serving as IGP,Crime & Railways and IGP,Traffic, J&K Vaid joined as Director, Admn/Trg, in BPR&D in February 2009, where he contributed immensely in various projects of the Bureau especially on detailed study regarding “ Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act” and streamlining various administrative matters etc. In recognition of his outstanding performance during his deputation period in BPR&D at New Delhi, Shri Vaid was decorated with President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service.Vaid came to be promoted and posted as Addl. Director General Of Police, Headquarters in November 2011 where he served till his promotion in March 2016. At PHQ, he drafted various proposals for modernizing J&K Police with latest equipment and providing best living facilities. He also organized various Civic Action Programmes which improved the Police-Public Relations. His contribution in organizing relief and rescue operations in September 2014 floods was hailed by people and the administration.After his promotion, he was posted as Director General Of Police, Prisons J&K, where he initiated various measures including installation of CCTV to thwart the plans of jail-break.In the aftermath of killing of Burhan Wani, on July, 08, 2016, the law and order situation in the valley had gone out of control. Taking note of seriousness of the situation, the State Government recalled Vaid from Prisons and posted him as Director General of Police, Co-ordination and Law & Order on September 10, 2016. After taking over the charge of Law and Order, Vaid camped in Valley till December 20, 2016. He initiated various measures to make optimum use of force so as to prevent the casualties of both people and forces. Despite difficult situation, he toured the entire Valley and organized various Police-Public interaction programmes in almost all Districts of Valley which helped restoration of peace in entire Kashmir valley.(CNS)