Former Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir Mahendra Nath (M.N.) Sabharwal passed away in Kanpur on Saturday after a long and distinguished career in the police and national security establishments. His death marks the loss of a senior police officer who played an important role in strengthening India’s internal security apparatus during a challenging period.
A 1964-batch Indian Police Service officer of the Jammu and Kashmir cadre, Sabharwal served as the Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police from October 1993 to February 1997. His tenure coincided with a particularly difficult phase of militancy in the region, when the security forces were engaged in sustained efforts to counter terrorism and restore stability.
Sabharwal was the seventh DGP of Jammu and Kashmir and is remembered for several institutional measures undertaken during his tenure. One of the most significant steps came in 1994, when he established the Special Task Force (STF) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, which became the force’s first dedicated counter-terrorism wing.
The creation of the STF represented an important step in developing specialised capabilities within the state police to tackle militancy. The initiative strengthened the police’s ability to conduct focused counter-terrorism operations and contributed to the evolution of Jammu and Kashmir’s specialised security response.
After completing his tenure as Jammu and Kashmir Police chief, Sabharwal went on to hold several senior positions within India’s broader security establishment. He was appointed Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in December 1997 and remained in the position until July 2000.
During his tenure as CRPF chief, Sabharwal worked on organisational reforms as well as measures aimed at improving the welfare and working conditions of personnel. His experience in Jammu and Kashmir and his understanding of internal security challenges informed his approach to strengthening the country’s largest central armed police force.
Sabharwal subsequently served as Special Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), where he handled important responsibilities relating to internal security and intelligence. His experience across the police, central armed police forces and intelligence establishment gave him a broad understanding of India’s security challenges.
Towards the later part of his career, he served as Secretary (Security) to the Government of India. In that capacity, he was associated with matters relating to national security and VVIP protection, placing him at the centre of some of the country’s most sensitive security responsibilities.
His career spanned several decades of significant transformation in India’s internal security landscape. From combating militancy in Jammu and Kashmir to leading the CRPF and handling strategic responsibilities within the intelligence and national security establishments, Sabharwal served across multiple critical institutions.
His contribution to the establishment of the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Special Task Force remains among the notable institutional milestones of his tenure as police chief. The STF subsequently became an important component of the state’s counter-terrorism architecture.
Sabharwal’s passing brings to an end the life and service of an officer who occupied several key positions in India’s security establishment during periods of considerable national and internal security challenges. His professional legacy remains associated with policing reforms, counter-terrorism preparedness and the strengthening of India’s wider security institutions.
