Jammu and Kashmir police chief Shesh Paul Vaid is in the centre of media attention for his recent utterances over the killings of youths at the encounter sites and about the Kathua rape and murder case. He has said that he was pained when two BJP ministers questioned the professionalism of the J&K police regarding the probe. He said that they work as police officers, not as Muslim, Hindu or Christian officers.
After the massive protests by Jammu Bar Association and the civil society of Jammu, the government has finally recommended two Sikh advocates to represent the government in this case in order to show that the lawyers are from neutral faith. The controversy raged when rumours started flying in Jammu that CM Mufti brought Muslim officers from Kashmir to probe the Kathua rape and murder case.
They were demanding the shifting of SSP Jalla, not knowing that he was in fact Ramesh Kumar Jalla, a Hindu. Jalla cracked the case and arrested all the accused including four cops. The police chief was under severe pressure from J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who said that during the anti-militancy operations, the police and the security forces were not adhering the SOP, resulting in a lot of collateral damages. He has been appealing to the youths not to come near the encounter sites. He rebuffed allegations that the J&K police was not competent enough to probe the Kathua case. He said that they have arrested their own four cops for destroying evidence and said that they investigate every crime as professional officers and it has nothing to do with the religion of the officer. He said that he has no objection if the probe is assigned to the CBI, but added that they have handled the case in the most professional manner.