Dr M M Hussain
Senior IPS officer, R R Swain took over as the Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir last Tuesday. Mr Swain, a 1991-batch IPS officer, assumed the post upon the retirement of Dilbag Singh. He has remained posted at various important and key positions in Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Career and Services to Nation:
With a distinguished career spanning over three decades, Swain has become synonymous with the uprooting of terror infrastructure in J&K. Appointments, postings, transfers and retirements are part of any Job. But the posting of RR Swain as the top cop of Jammu and Kashmir is perceived as a remarkable decision to assign the post to the best person in the job. The posting is a well-deserved recognition of lifelong selfless services to the nation, and Jammu Kashmir in particular. The posting of Swain has further strengthened the faith of people in the system.
A well decorated police officer, with no nonsense attitude, RR Swain is an epitome of honesty, integrity, selflessness, simplicity; at the same time an intelligent, capable, competent, effective, efficient and result oriented officer in Jammu and Kashmir police, who knows Jammu and Kashmir in and out. A rare police officer who has served the nation both within the boundaries and outside the boundaries of the country and as such has deeper insight into the security and safety issues facing the nation and its interests both within and outside.
During the tumultuous early 1990s, Swain held crucial positions in various districts as the head of police, playing a pivotal role during a time when terrorism held the region in its grip. His tenure included service as district SP in Ramban, Kargil, Kathua, Poonch, and as SSP in Jammu and Srinagar. He was at the forefront of initiatives such as Border Police Posts, Village Defence Committees, and Special Operation Groups, which were instrumental in combating the scourge of terrorism. After his promotion, Swain served as DIG Vigilance, where he introduced innovative anti-corruption measures such as the concept of Departmental Vigilance Officers and preventive vigilance to combat corruption more effectively.
His expertise extended to the national level, as he served as a director and later as a Joint Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, handling security issues stemming from India’s neighbourhood. Notably, he was the head of the Bureau of Security in the Ministry of External Affairs, where he served as Joint Secretary, Personnel. As Director in the Cabinet Secretariat, he led the ‘Analysis Desk,’ processing diverse intelligence related to threats from India’s Western neighbourhood, covering aspects like political, economic, water, and terrorism. Swain’s deep insights into the functioning of the terror ecosystem originating from Pakistan have been widely acknowledged. Additionally, he headed the ‘Operations Desk’ related to India’s immediate neighbourhood.
Swain’s experience extends to the global stage, where he served as the head of the Counter-intelligence unit responsible for safeguarding India’s assets abroad. He interacted with foreign governments, security agencies, and law enforcement units worldwide, including America, Europe, Russia, Central Asia, South Asia, Middle East, South East Asia, and China. Notably, Swain’s role as Special DG CID and Intelligence Chief of Jammu and Kashmir since June 2020 has been instrumental in maintaining peace and security in the region. He also directs the Special Investigation Agency (SIA), a newly formed unit focused on investigating terror cases with high impact and long-term strategic implications. Furthermore, Swain chairs the MHA-constituted Terror Monitoring Group, which coordinates the efforts of all agencies in Jammu and Kashmir to combat terrorism effectively
Paradigm Shift in Kashmir Policy
The appointment of RR swain is crucial to consolidate and continue the policy, to strengthen the national interests and effectively deter and eliminate forces within and outside working against the Nation for long lasting solution to the problem arising out of secessionism and separatism within Kashmir .
RR Swain firmly believes that the solution to the K- problem lies within the hands of the Nation and external element or third party has no role in it. Consequently, he is working day and night to remove the proxies of external elements within the boundaries of the UT, so that the provocations and appeasements of external powers will not find any takers here in Jammu and Kashmir.
This conviction and determination of Swain has not developed overnight. Rather, it is the Tapasya of decades serving as a foot soldier to the Nation in different capacities in different places. As head of counter intelligence unit, at global stage he interacted with innumerable officers and people, including Middle East and South Asia. During these interactions over several years, he finally came to the conclusion that Pakistan is not serious to settle K-issue.
Rather, it wants Kashmir to burn continuously without any regret. Specifically, Pakistan socio-politically and socio-economically is a feudal state run by army with most exploitative elite social structure found anywhere in the world. Now, in order to find relevance and influence Pakistani Army has nothing to sell except Kashmir. There is a deep sense of resentment within the Pakistan against Army due to its corporate culture and meddling in all affairs of the country especially politics. The story of the Pakistan army and its leadership romancing with politics of Pakistan is a classical example that rather defines the whole history of the country. Once, you remove the martial law and history of Generals from the history of Pakistan, hardly any thing is left behind.
Further, the division of the state power among the power brokers like ISI, Army and Pseudo Political elites, makes mockery of the state power and dilutes it to the very core for any comprehensive national decision or policy. It is a well established fact that in order to discuss Kashmir with Pakistan, you need to talk to the deep state but within deep state who will you talk to? The powers brokers of Pakistan have fragmented it to its very core. As such, they cannot decide and solve an issue like Kashmir. Rather, they need it to keep damaging our nation and keep themselves relevant. Pakistan army needs Kashmir issue to keep itself relevant and continue its exploitation of not only Pakistani people but the innocent people of Kashmir.
Consequently, the solution to the Kashmir problem lies within the hands of our nation and its constitution. Once, this thought, belief and faith trickles down within the policy of our nation, the Kashmir problem will be resolved altogether benefitting not only people of Kashmir but people of Pakistan.
It is this thought and belief Swain has developed over decades of hard work and commitment towards the nation and particularly Kashmir issue that he is working day and night to make it a reality one day. It is a paradigm shift from early policy that “conflicts are to be managed rather to be solved as pointed out by experts. But the new shift is to solve the problem and solve it yourself and within rather than looking outwards.
It is a huge challenge and humongous task before the new police Chief. It is not easy to undo the decades of wrong doing and bad policy. It needs overhaul of the system with deep surgical intervention horizontally and vertically in systemic and sustained manner. However, with the kind of experience and expertise, as well as grit, determination and dedication the Police chief has displayed over last three decades, and especially post 2019, everyone who knows Swain closely in the UT and country, is optimistic about the future outcome of the new discourse. He is different with exceptional personality, ability, and skills, who will deliver to the best of his capacity as chief of the most professional police in the country, facing the most challenging task.
Recently, he pointed out very rightly during a program in Srinagar on the occasion of Ghandi Jayanti that police is trying its every bit to root out fear from the common man’s heart and mind while fighting against those who promote violence.
Talking to reporters on the side-lines of a mega marathon organised by the J&K police, the special DG (CID) said that J&K is police quietly fighting against the enemy which is “organised” after using the outside support and influence. “To fight some people who promote violence needs an extra bit of valour and that is found within the J&K police. Challenges before J&K police are quite different than what other forces are facing,” he said. “We are fighting this battle quietly, silently for the common man who is sitting in a far off village. Our fight is for a small farmer, a lawyer, a Khateeb and a small journalist or for that matter a common man who respects and abides by the law.”
He has already demonstrated his professionalism as Special DG CID and cracked very high profile terror related cases. The creation of SIA was his brain child to specifically deal with such cases in collaboration with National Agencies.
Cracking high-profile and sensational cases, the State Investigation Agency (SIA), within one year of its inception, has been able to strike at the very core of “operating software to the campaign of terrorism” in J&K.
Though it has been a tricky proposition, those dealing with the “cases of special nature” believe that the premier investigation agency of J&K UT formed for “coordinating with NIA and other central agencies” for speedy and effective investigation and prosecution of all kinds of terrorism related cases has managed to do the task with an exceptional disposal rate and professionalism.
To substantiate their claims, they refer to an “impressive list of top-notch cases” registered and investigated by SIA since its inception in November 2021.
The very first case figured in the list pertained to the “sale of MBBS seats by secessionist elements in connivance with Pakistani handlers”. Following challan, the charges were framed, under the case FIR No 05/20 P/S CIK/SIA Srinagar, against the accused, presently under trial.
The second case is related to Majid Guroo’s killing. In this case of the killing of a youth belonging to the ‘Gujjar Gang’ by terrorists of the TRF outfit, registered under FIR No 67/21 of Police Station Safa Kadal, charges have been framed, and the accused is under trial.
His exemplary service has not gone unnoticed, as he has been honoured with numerous awards, including the Police Medal for Gallantry by the President and State Government, Parakram Padak for his injuries sustained while fighting terrorism, and President’s Medals for Meritorious Service and Distinguished Service, alongside the State Government Medal for Meritorious Service.
Dr M M Hussain, a freelancer journalist