Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday handed over appointment letters to 29 newly selected Jammu and Kashmir Police Service (JKPS) officers, calling on them to protect citizens against cross-border terrorism, while balancing authority with compassion.
The occasion marked a significant milestone in the Union Territory’s journey towards merit-based governance and strengthened security, an official spokesperson said.
In his address, Sinha emphasised that the appointment letters were not mere documents but carried the extraordinary weight of trust reposed on the officers by the residents of Jammu Kashmir.
He said the appointment letter was an invitation to serve, a pledge to safeguard the dignity, security and future of people, and a symbol of responsibility entrusted to the officers.
Congratulating the newly appointed officers, the lieutenant governor lauded their perseverance in overcoming an intense and transparent selection process conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC).
Sinha commended the commission for upholding fairness, impartiality and credibility, and establishing a new legacy of employment through merit since 2019.
He said that for the first time, even children from ordinary families, such as those of vegetable vendors and labourers, were able to secure government jobs purely based on talent and hard work.
Sinha reminded the newly appointed officers that their journey had only begun. Their mission, he said, was not personal success but service to the people, protection of citizens, and upholding the rule of law.
Highlighting the changing nature of modern policing challenges, the lieutenant governor pointed to radicalisation, terrorism and sophisticated terror financing through cryptocurrencies and money laundering. He urged the officers to act as sentinels of both Jammu and Kashmir and the nation.
“After your training, when you wear the khaki uniform, you will stand as a protective shield between the terrorist forces and organisations across the border and the ordinary citizens of Jammu and Kashmir. You will be the guardians of the dreams of every citizen, and this is no small responsibility.
“I believe that protecting every citizen is one of the greatest responsibilities that any democracy can entrust to its officers. My expectation of you is that you will ensure a fear-free environment for every citizen,” Sinha said.
He praised the devotion and courage of senior officers of Jammu and Kashmir Police who have safeguarded peace and harmony over decades, and urged the newly appointed officers to combine authority with compassion, uphold communal harmony, and protect the rights of the most vulnerable.
Reiterating the guiding principle — “Do not harass the innocent; do not spare the guilty” — he called upon them to wear the khaki uniform with pride, but keep their conscience closer to their hearts.
“You will possess authority, and you must combine that authority with the values of compassion so that human sensitivity remains an essential part of all your actions. You must resolve that, regardless of how difficult circumstances may become, you will choose integrity and duty. Always remember that the respect commanded by the uniform depends on the honesty, courage and conduct of the officers who wear it,” Sinha said.
He called upon the officers to move forward with honesty, courage and humility.
“Along with your appointment letters, I have today entrusted you with the hopes, dreams and faith of the people. I expect you to honour this responsibility with unwavering resolve and to use your authority in the cause of justice,” the lieutenant governor said.
Calls for drug-free campuses across J&K
Flags off annual Harmukh-Gangbal yatra
Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday called for making the University of Jammu and other educational institutions drug-free, urging students to work with the administration, health institutions and civil society to combat drug abuse.
Sinha made the remarks while launching a documentary and collage exhibition on the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan at the University of Jammu. He also directed that the documentary be screened in every department of the university and at other educational institutions across the Jammu division to widen awareness about drug abuse and de-addiction.
Emphasising the need to tackle both the supply and demand sides of the drug menace, the LG said drug abuse was damaging families and threatening the future of the younger generation. He also highlighted the link between drug smuggling and narco-terrorism, stressing the need to dismantle such networks to safeguard peace and security in Jammu Kashmir.
Recalling the launch of the Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir campaign in 2020, Sinha said the administration had initiated a comprehensive 100-day campaign in April this year, extending the effort to villages, schools, universities and families through awareness drives, padyatras and administrative action.
He said the campaign rests on three key pillars—dismantling drug supply chains, creating awareness and rehabilitation. He also highlighted the Rehabilitation and Socio-Economic Reintegration Scheme for Drug Abuse Victims, 2026, aimed at helping affected youth return to mainstream society.
The LG urged students to act as “messengers, participants and guardians” of the Nasha-Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyan and called for greater peer engagement, family support, timely assistance and rehabilitation for those struggling with addiction.
Commending the University of Jammu for its initiative, Sinha said education must translate knowledge into social responsibility and called upon students to contribute to building a healthy youth and drug-free Jammu Kashmir.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Umesh Rai, Dean Academic Affairs Prof J.P. Singh Joorel, Dean Research Studies Prof Neelu Rohmetra, Dean Planning and Development Prof Sangita Gupta, Registrar Dr Neeraj Sharma, heads of departments, faculty members and students attended the programme.
Earlier, LG Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the annual Harmukh-Gangbal yatra in Ganderbal district.
Member of Parliament Mian Altaf, MLA Kangan Mian Mehar Ali, senior police and civil administration officers, and many Kashmiri Pandit pilgrims from across the country attended the flag-off ceremony at Naranag in the central Kashmir district.
“Today flagged off the HarmukhGangbal pilgrimage at Ganderbal. This sacred Yatra embodies purity, devotion, and unity in diversity, a living expression of eternal faith, strengthens our soul, connects us with nature, and inspires harmony. May Lord Shiva’s blessings guide us towards compassion, culture and collective consciousness,” the LG said in a post on X.
Speaking to reporters after the flag-off ceremony, Sinha said many devotees from Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country had arrived to undertake the annual pilgrimage.
“I extend my best wishes to all of them, and I have full faith that the blessings of this sacred pilgrimage always remain upon the people here, and Jammu and Kashmir will continue to move forward on the path of peace and progress,” he said.
The district administration has made necessary arrangements, including security-related ones, for the pilgrimage. The annual yatra, a 15-km trek to Gangbal Lake, nestled at around 14,500 feet in the Harmukh mountain range in the district’s upper reaches, is considered a sacred pilgrimage for Kashmiri Pandits.
