The Union home ministry has confirmed the appointment of Rashmi Ranjan Swain as Jammu and Kashmir’s director-general of police (DGP), less than two months ahead of his retirement and more than nine months after he took over as the in-charge DGP.

The central ministry’s order came as security forces had reportedly cornered three to four militants in Udhampur and Kathua districts of Jammu. Hundreds of security force personnel were part of the operation that started on Tuesday.

Swain’s appointment has followed a series of controversies and a bitter face-off recently between him and Valley politicians during which he literally called them Pakistani agents and accused them of cultivating leaders in militant networks for political gains.

The statement evoked a sharp rebuff from Valley politicians and his own deputy, Vijay Kumar, who said the police was an apolitical and impartial force.

The ministry of home affairs has appointed Swain as the DGP “till September 30, 2024, or until further orders, whichever is earlier”, suggesting he can get an extension.

The Jammu region has witnessed an unprecedented spike in militant attacks since the June 9 swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Dozens of operations have so far failed to track the militants. On Wednesday, however, a top police officer said they were close to neutralising a group of three to four militants in the area bordering Udhampur and Kathua.

Immediately after taking over as the in-charge DGP on October 31 last year, Swain had vowed a tougher anti-militancy campaign. In June this year, he even promised to wipe out militancy in Jammu in two to three months but his claim was followed by more deadly militant attacks.