New Delhi, Dec 6 (IANS): Retired IPS officer K. Vijay Kumar has been appointed as senior security advisor in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

In his new role, the former police officer will be primarily responsible for advising the home ministry on all security-related matters pertaining to the newly-constituted Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. He will also be advising the ministry on security issues of states affected by Left-wing extremism.

Vijay Kumar had earlier served as advisor to the Governor of the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir, before its reconstitution into a Union Territory comprising of the Jammu and Kashmir regions, separate from Ladakh.

As a serving officer, he had successfully led the special task force to neutralise forest brigand Veerappan in operations that spanned the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

According to the government order issued by the Home Ministry and dated December 3, Vijay Kumar's tenure will be for a period of one year from the joining date.