Former J&K top cop Khan is new Administrator of Lakshadweep

New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) Retired IPS officer and NationalSecretary of BJP Farooq Khan, who once spearheaded anti-militancy operations in Jammu and Kashmir, was today appointedthe Administrator of Lakshadweep. Khan, a 1994 batch IPS officer who retired in 2013, iscurrently BJP’s Secretary incharge of Northeast. Hisappointment as Lakshadweep Administrator was cleared by theUnion Home Ministry earlier in the day, official sources said. Khan was the first Muslim from Jammu and Kashmir to get aprominent place in the BJP within 15 months of his joining theparty. He had joined the BJP at an election rally in thepresence of Narendra Modi, who was then the party’s primeministerial candidate. He retired as head of the Sher-e-Kashmir Police AcademyUdhampur in the rank of Inspector General of Police. The former IPS officer shot to prominence in the mid 1990swhen he became the first head of the anti-militancy Task Forcepopularly known as Special Operations Group. During his tenure at the helm of the counter-insurgencyoperations, Khan led various operations against militants andwas known for sharp strategizing skills. 63-year-old Khan also had his share of controversies whichincluded gunning down of five civilians at Pathribal in SouthKashmir. After enquiries made at various levels followed by aCBI probe, Khan was given a clean chit and army officers wereheld responsible for the killings. A recipient of President’s police medal for meritoriousservice and many commendations by the army and other securityagencies, Khan’s entry into the BJP fold was seen as a move towoo Muslim voters in Poonch and Rajouri area. His grandfather Colonel (retired) Peer Mohammad Khan, whowas in the army of Maharaja Hari Singh, was the first statepresident of the Jammu and Kashmir Jana Sangh. PTI ACB SKL SKSK