Go-getter Vijay Kumar at helm of T- affairs

Heading 8-member task force, appointed by UPA government to delve into the law and order situation in the State, particularly in Hyderabad, in the post-bifurcation period, K Vijaya Kumar, retired IPS officer from Tamil Nadu, who is, at present, the Senior Security Adviser in the Home Ministry, is to play a major role in the affairs of Andhra Pradesh. 

As the Task force team already arrived in Hyderabad and plunged into the task, the obvious curiosity props on the officer at the helm of affairs.

Being one of the most sought-after IPS officers in the country, Krishnan Nair Vijay Kumar of 1975 Tamil Nadu cadre, is connotatively ambidextrous in dealing with jungle warfare and urban tactics. He was also accused of swapping these two tricks on situational exigencies. Particularly, when he basked in the bright glory after terminating notorious Sandalwood smuggler Veerappan, he was also in receipt of the brickbats, besides bouquets. Being STF (special task force) chief, he was blamed for gory period of atrocities by STF personnel against the tribals in the jungle. The Justice Sathasivam Commission, which was set up to probe into STF terror, pulled up the STF for the atrocities including rapes.

Vijay Kumar’s name was often heard nationwide with a few responsible tasks for he was assigned. He was selected one among the three officers in Special Protection Group for the then PM Rajiv Gandhi in 1985. In 1998, he was again in news as IG, Operations of BSF in Jammu and Kashmir, as he was responsible for 188 deaths of militants in encounters, allegedly fake.

Prior to Veerappan’s elimination, there was an important incident, which is like a precursor to Veerappan’s episode that reputed him a ruthless taskmaster. Playing into the hands of the then Chief Minister J Jayalalitha, Vijay Kumar, the then commissioner of police, Madras, arrested five editorial echelons of ‘The Hindu’, including its executive editor, who wrote some critical articles on Puratchi Thalaivi(Jayalaitha). But, his loyalty did not pay dividends with the issue snowballed into big controversy and resulted in his transfer. So, as a demotion, he had to get shifted to jungles as STF chief. It was alleged that the killing of Veerappan, either by hook-or-by –crook means, was redeemed his demotion and took him back to city from jungle.

The officer of this track record, is now assigned for another crucial role in deciding the fate of the State. Speaking to press persons on Tuesday in Hyderabad, where he worked as the chief of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy for brief stint, he foresaw development in Telangana and also in residuary State of Andhra Pradesh after bifurcation.  It was also known that Vijay Kumar is closely associated with union minister P Chidambaram, who has been accused of abetting the division of AP due to his ethnic roots being a Tamil.  Therefore, his tone evidently implied the Task force agenda, set by his masters in the Centre.

- Naresh@Sakshipost