"Kashmir Doesn’t Need 'Rambo' Cops, It’s a Mission" | The Curious Mic With Rahul Shrivastava | Jist

Shiv Murari Sahai, the former Additional Director General of Jammu & Kashmir, shares his 30‑year career in the state’s security forces, detailing the rise of terrorism in the late 1980s, the violent exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the early 1990s, and the challenges of counter‑insurgency in the 2000s. He recounts surviving multiple attacks, including a 2003 fidayeen assault in Rajouri and a shooting near Srinagar’s Lal Chowk, and explains his belief that the region requires a committed, not a “super‑cop” approach. The interview focuses on the April 22 terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, the security lapses that allowed it, and the broader implications for counter‑terrorism strategy. Sahai also discusses the political and social context of the region, the impact of the 2008 Amarnath land agitation, the 2010 Machil encounter, and the influence of figures such as Burhan Wani and ISIS on radicalisation. The conversation ends with reflections on the future of Kashmir, the need for youth engagement, and the enduring commitment of IPS officers to the valley.