Jammu and Kashmir DGP Shesh Paul Vaid survived many deadly attacks; now his main challenge is to convince the youth to shun the path of militancy.
New Delhi: He has survived an ambush by a group of 25 heavily armed militants besides several grenade attacks and even a barrage of rockets aimed at his helicopter. And all these could not leave any major mark on him barring a scar on his little finger.
Shesh Paul Vaid, the man in-charge of the most challenging job in Jammu and Kashmir – policing – is the Director-General of Police (DGP) and the target of many attacks in the Valley.
For Vaid, the main challenge now is to “convince youth to shun the path of militancy”.
“My mission is to convince the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to choose the path of peace. Violence will only lead to pain and agony,” he told ThePrint.
“Since last year, 10 boys have surrendered after our drive of involving their families to make appeals. Our team has so far rescued 75 boys who were on the verge of joining militancy,” he added.
He had received the Wound Medal, a gallantry award given to those sustaining injuries in direct enemy action, after nearly two dozen militants ambushed his bulletproof Ambassador car and two escort gypsies on the national highway while he was the DIG of Baramulla range in 1999.
While one policeman was killed in the attack, Vaid had used his hand as a shield during the attack. He sustained injuries in his right hand and doctors had even advised him for amputation of his fingers. However, he was flown to Delhi where he underwent surgery.
It was the fourth attack in his 14-year career and many more followed.
“He continued to give orders to his team in north Kashmir’s Kupwara and Baramulla while under treatment in Delhi. His team had busted a whole group of militants on the basis of his inputs,” recalled his wife Bharti Vaid, who recently took voluntary retirement from the Indian Information Service.
“Our daughter was just 65 days old when militants attacked us at Narbal on our way back to Srinagar. He was the additional superintendent of Budgam district then,” Bharti said.
“Two soldiers were killed while the CRPF came to our rescue and I was made to run out with my baby… It is his bravery and spirituality which keeps him going,” she added.
Recently a Twitter handle highlighted how some people “poked fun” at him on the way he salutes.
“It is utter shameful, that a man who has taken bullets at every step of his life, and continue to lead his force, (for another 2 years in uniform) in doing a solemn duty, protecting the Union of India, is jeered by people, who don’t know a thing about anything,” the tweet by @Leopard212 said, explaining that the scar on Vaid’s little finger was the result of the attack in 1999.
“He also had pellets lodged in his skull that year, yet people mock at him for his way of saluting. We do not hold any grudges,” Bharti said.
For Vaid, the most difficult times were from 1990 to 1996 and after the Kargil war.
“The Kargil war was the most difficult time because after the war was over, foreign terrorists started fidayeen attacks across the Valley,” he said.
While lauding his fierce fightback attitude, his friends call him a “strategist” and “leader” par excellence.
Trusting his acumen, the state government made him DGP on 31 December, 2016. He was tasked with containing the situation in the wake of Hizbul Mujahiddin commander Burhan Wani’s encounter killing.
A J&K cadre IPS officer of the 1986 batch, Vaid belongs to the Kathua region of Jammu and served in different capacities in the most volatile areas of the Valley.
“While every policeman is brave and courageous, what makes him stand out is his leadership. He is an excellent strategist,” Ashok Prasad, former JK DGP and adviser, Ministry of Home Affairs, told ThePrint.
“The recent example of his achievement is the way his team handled the situation post-Burhan Wani encounter. He has been able to pull out the region from crisis,” Prasad added.
He said Vaid has built an excellent rapport with various agencies, including the state administration, CRPF and other security forces which have led to successful joint operations.
“His strategy and motivation is the driving force of his team which has handled militancy and stone pelting,” Prasad said.
Vaid believes that peace can only be achieved “with the help of locals and the right policy of the government’’.