COIMBATORE: A woman in uniform from Kupwara district in Kashmir Valley to Karumathampatty in Coimbatore. Meet Ruveda Salam, Jammu & Kashmir’s first woman IPS officer, who has solved three cases in the six days since she took charge as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) at Karumathampatty sub-division on September 2.
The doctor-turned-cop spoke to Express of her journey, from growing up in the terror-affected Kupwara district, to becoming a doctor in Srinagar. She also served in the state’s civil service as under secretary in the home department, before cracking the UPSC examinations in her very first attempt.
She then underwent training at the National Police Academy in Hyderabad, and in 2014, was part of a delegation to the G20 summit in Sydney, Australia.
Salam, who is 29-years-old, grew up during the most tumultuous decades in the history of Kashmir. A period when the movement for “Azadi” or freedom from India, and especially resistance against the armed forces had been growing in the valley, culminating in what has been described as the “Kashmiri Intifada” in 2010.
In this context, her opting for a career with the police is surprising.
When asked about it, she said education, extensive travel, and interactions with people from across the country had opened new horizons which had showcased the pluralistic nature of the country.
In her view with better education and development, more Kashmiris would embrace nationhood. But, she maintained that steps were needed to be taken to ensure gradual de-escalation of tensions between the armed forces, the police, and the people in the valley.
According to her more Kashmiris were gradually becoming more trustful of the Indian state, and even the armed forces. “In 2014, during the floods which ravaged Kashmir, people saw the rescue efforts being undertaken by the armed forces. The army is also building bridges with local communities and gradually winning their trust and acceptance,” she said.
