New Delhi

A former Police Chief of J&K has claimed that separatists in Kashmir called the shots in the government till the abolition of Article 370, and a new strategy to tackle not only terrorists but the ecosystem that boosted the cult of terrorism.

In an interview with the J&K-based journalist Syed Junaid on his YouTube Channel Straight Line News, former Director General of Police Rashmi Ranjan Swain spoke at length about the changed scenario of counterinsurgency in J&K. He said that Syed Ali Shah Geelani, particularly, was influential as head of the ‘Pakistan lobby’ and wielded influence to change decisions of the government.

“In Kashmir, two authorities existed, one was the Indian and the other was Pakistan,” said the J&K cadre IPS officer to Straight -Line News YouTube channel. “Today, there is less of Pakistan there,” he said.

Swain quoted an instance where a woman employee of the Education department serving in Anantnag (South Kashmir) was promoted and posted in Kupwara, North Kashmir.

Her husband Amit ran from pillar to post to get her posting closer home.“Her family was disturbed by her posting in a far-flung area and petitioned the then government (Congress and PDP coalition headed by Mehbooba Mufti). Nothing moved. Finally, Amit was told that he should meet Geelani, and his work will be done.

"In J&K, prior to August 5, 2019; there used to be two authorities operating side by side; Pakistan’s and India’s. If I say this, some people may feel offended, but this was the truth. You are from there, so tell me honestly; was Pakistan’s influence not present? It has reduced… pic.twitter.com/4mzNRDOznk

— Syed Junaid Hashmi (@SyedJunaidHsmi) January 21, 2026

Swain, who was head of the Intelligence of the J&K Police before his elevation as Director General, quotes the lady’s husband to explain further.

Amit visited Geelani’s house, and he wrote a letter to the Education Minister asking him to rescind the order of her transfer to Kupwara.

He went to the minister’s office, where he was made to wait for a long time. Fearing that he may not get an audience with the minister, he told the peon that he was sent by ‘Geelani sahib’ and in no time, the minister called him. He was ushered into an anteroom and entertained by the minister.

The order was immediately rescinded.

Swain said this was one of the many cases he knew where the separatists were seen as calling the shots, even in the government. Geelani and some others would regularly call the authorities on the phone and instruct the officials on matters.

“When Chief Minister thanks them (Separatists) after the elections, in which they have no role, what signal does it send?” Swain said. He was referring to the PDP leaders thanking Geelani and others for not creating violence during the elections.

Former J&K DGP RR Swain who is widely regarded as a resolute, no-nonsense officer, has been at the forefront of exposing and dismantling terror networks from within the system lays bare an uncomfortable truth: Pakistan’s infiltration in Kashmir ran so deep that a Pak-sponsored… pic.twitter.com/n97MzZkrgv

— Emaad Makhdoomi (@MakhdoomiEmaad) January 21, 2026

The YouTube channel with 511K subscribers has been flooded with responses to Swain’s interview. Most of the responses endorse the ex-top cop’s observations and say there are terrorists embedded in the system in J&K even today.

Swain, an Odisha-born IPS officer of Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre and formerly the J&K cadre, had held several key positions in J&K. He was the first chief of the State Investigating Authority (SIA) and is credited with cracking the assassination of Mirwaiz Moulvi Farooq after 30 years.

Swain said before 2019, there was a perception that Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and propaganda could only be managed, but today it is about its elimination.

Swain said Pakistan was successful in its low cost strategy of recruiting youth into terrorism through false narrative and propaganda.

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He said the collaboration of the government and terrorists was shocking at a time when 12,000 civilians had been killed by terrorists in the state-turned UT.