Nalin Prabhat appointed as J&K's SDG, taking over as DGP on Oct 1. The anti-terror specialist brings extensive experience to the role
Srinagar: Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Nalin Prabhat has been appointed as Jammu and Kashmir’s Special Director General of Police (DGP), the responsibility he will be discharging till September 30 when he would replace the incumbent DGP Rashmi Ranjan Swain to head the 83,000-strong uniformed force which comes under direct control of Ministry of Home Affairs.
Mr. Prabhat, a 1992-batch IPS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, has joined the AGMUT cadre on inter-cadre deputation and will immediately take over as the SDG of the J&K police, the official sources here said. The sources added that he will serve in this capacity till September 30 and on the same day assume the role of DGP following the superannuation of incumbent DGP Mr. Swain (AGMUT 1991). His tenure as DGP will begin on October 1, 2024, and will continue till further orders, the sources said.
Mr. Prabhat has worked as the additional director-general in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and held senior positions in other ballet forces across the country. In April this year, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) appointed him the chief of National Security Guard (NSG), the country's counter-terrorism force, for a period up to August 31, 2028 that is the date of his superannuation. He took over as the DG of the NSG on May 1, 2024, but his tenure was cut short by the ACC for his deputation to AGMUT cadre. On Wednesday, the committee sanctioned his inter-state deputation to the AGMUT for a tenure of three years.
Earlier, the MHA had in an official memorandum said, “It is requested that Shri Nalin Prabhat, IPS (AP:92), DG, NSG may be relieved immediately to enable him to join AGMUT cadre.” The AGMUT stands for Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory cadre for which the controlling authority is the MHA.
An official order said, “The undersigned is directed to convey approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet for: (i) Curtailment of tenure of Shri Nalin Prabhat, IPS (AP:92) as Director General, National Security Guard (NSG). (ii) Inter-cadre deputation of Shri Nalin Prabhat, IPS (AP:92) from Andhra Pradesh to AGMUT Cadre, initially for a period of three years from the date of joining the AGMUT cadre or until further orders, whichever is earlier, in relaxation of inter-cadre deputation guidelines.”
He is a highly decorated IPS officer. He has won police medal for gallantry with second bar thrice, Parakram Padak (Wound Medal), Police Medal for Distinguished Service, Police Medal for Meritorious Service, Antrik Suraksha Padak (AP), Antrik Suraksha Padak (J&K) and Police (Special Duty) Medal with Bar (J&K).
Mr. Prabhat was born on June 14, 1968 in Thungri village in the Rupa circle of West Kameng district in AP. He completed his B.A (Honours) and obtained a master’s degree from St. Stephen’s College
He is an anti-Naxal and anti-terrorism specialist and has been appointed as the SDG of J&K at a time when parts of the Union Territory are witnessing a noticeable resurgence of militancy with twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri and the Chenab valley in the Jammu region becoming the epicentre of deadly terror attacks. It is believed that the Centre wants to utilise his extensive experience towards effectively dealing with terrorism. “Also, the Assembly elections in J&K are likely to be held later this year after a gap of over a decade, a time when the region’s main law enforcing agency would need an experienced and fairly successful hand with great leaderships skills to lead it”, said a retire police chief of the erstwhile state.
Mr. Prabhat has served in erstwhile state of J&K earlier also as IG (Operations Kashmir) CRPF, DIG CRPF (South Kashmir), DIG Intelligence and Training CRPF (Srinagar sector), Commandant ITBP (Srinagar and Ladakh) and in some other capacities. He had also headed the specialised anti-Naxal police force 'Greyhounds' in AP.