11 years back when IPS Vikas Kumar had formed special COBRA force in Alwar to combat organised crime as district SP, little had he known that he would get another opportunity after a decade. This time to raise a special Anti Narcotics Task Force to mitigate growing smuggling and selling of narcotics drugs in Rajasthan.
The state government decided formed a special force to combat the menace of drugs. And the government chose Vikas Kumar to lead the force, which has 350 personnel manning 18 posts across the state. Vikas has had impressive track record nailing drug peddlers and smugglers during his previous stint as Jodhpur IG range. The areas bordering Pakistan is the breeding ground of narcotics and drug peddlers. Kumar led from the front to crush the syndicate. Probably that is the reason why state government zeroed down in Vikas Kumar and transferred him from Jodhpur to serve as IG ANTF and Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS).
What is the Action Plan?
Vikas Kumar said that the ultimate aim to crackdown on narcotics drug mafia and eradicate the terrorism.
“Terror is funded by smuggling of drugs and narcotics. We need to break the nexus. If we succeed in tapping the flow, crime rate will automatically slow down,” Kumar said looking outside the window of his room.
Kumar said that the newly formed ATNF will work more or less in coordination with local thana to curb the menace.
“However sometime it will also work independently as there are cases where local policemen are found to be hand in glove with mafias. We are not going to spare anyone,” Kumar said with a stern smile flickering through his moustaches.
Who is Vikas Kumar?
A native of Bihar, Kumar, 2004 batch IPS officer, served his initial days in Nagaland before getting an inter cadre transfer to Rajasthan following his marriage with IPS officer Param Jyoti – a batch junior to him. Jyoti, also an upfront hardworking cop, is serving as IG Crime in Police Headquarters.
An engineering graduate from IIT Kanpur, Kumar has his own style of working and he hardly compromise in his values and virtues. That's the reason his average tenure on each post is a little more than 6 months during his 21 years long career. This includes his 1.5 years tenure in Border Security Force as DIG. But then short term tenures could not stop him from winning accolades. He is the recipient of President's Medal for better management of law and order during Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
People in the streets of Alwar still remember him as the tough cop who had come down heavily on organised crime and forced gangsters to flee from the district. His reputation is no different in other districts also he had served as SP – Ajmer, Bharatpur, Chittorgarh, Sikar, Dholpur and Sawai Madhopur. Those who have worked closely with Kumar vouch that the crime graph dipped drastically during his tenure. His Critical Operation Backup and Rapid Action (COBRA) team specially trained by Army commandos were a terror for gangsters.
“He is fearless. He is hard on criminals but at the same time he is empathetic towards victims. His style of working is different and sometimes creates controversy. But then if controversy is killing crime then controversy is good,” said a senior police official who has worked with him.
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