‘Upright and dedicated’: Colleagues remember ex-DGP Ghulam Jeelani Pandit
Srinagar, Sep 22: Former Director General of Police (DGP), Jammu and Kashmir, Ghulam Jeelani Pandit, who breathed his last on Sep 21, will be remembered for grace and humility, his colleagues told Greater Kashmir.
Pandit was 92.
Born on February 22, 1933, in Srinagar, Pandit’s life was a testament to unwavering public service, his colleagues say.
Pandit joined the Jammu and Kashmir Police Service early in his career, rising through the ranks with a reputation for integrity and operational acumen. He assumed the pivotal role of DGP—the fourth individual to hold this position in the force's history—on May 21, 1987.
His appointment as DGP in 1987 marked an important moment — he was a state-subject (i.e. a local from Jammu & Kashmir) holding the top police office.
He presided over the police force during a turbulent period in the late 1980s. The responsibilities of maintaining law and order in such times added weight to his role.
His passing is being widely mourned by colleagues, and people from different walks of life.
Former IGP Kashmir, Javid Makhdoomi who worked as Staff Officer when Pandit was DIG Kashmir said the deceased was an honest officer. “He was upright and a highly dedicated officer,” Makhdoomi told Greater Kashmir, saying that Pandit also served as SSP Srinagar.
During his tenure, which spanned until his superannuation on December 1989, Pandit navigated the complexities of law enforcement in a region undergoing profound political and social upheaval.
Notably, he was the last Kashmir-origin DGP until Kuldeep Khoda's appointment as DGP after an 18-year interval during which non-residents led the force.
Pandit is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters. His funeral prayers were held at Jamalatta in downtown Srinagar.
— J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) September 22, 2025
The Jammu and Kashmir Police, under current DGP Nalin Prabhat, has expressed deepest condolences, mourning the loss of a leader who "set an example for generations of officers to follow." Prayers and tributes poured in from across the region, reflecting the enduring impact of his legacy.
