KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Indian Army’s Northern Army Commander is in Srinagar and apparently over busy in consultations with top executives of state.
Srinagar based defence spokesperson had invited media for a press briefing by Lt Gen D S Hooda, who heads North Command of Indian Army based in Udhampur.
Army’s 15-Corps based in Srinagar, known as Chinar Corps, and 14-Corps based in Ladakh come under Army’s Northern Command.
Defence sources said that Gen Hooda landed in Army’s Badambagh cantonment on Friday morning.
“After initial protocol engagements,” sources said, “Gen Hooda met Chief Minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti.”
The visit of Gen Hooda comes in the wake of killing of a college lecturer by army in the intervening night of August 17 and 18.
Army along with SOG raided Shar village in Khrew area in Pulwama on late Wednesday night and injured over 100 persons. They arrested scores of residents and one Shabir Ahmad Mango was killed.
The army later ‘regretted’ the incident and said it will investigate the incident.
The General was supposed to meet press in the afternoon around 2:30 PM. “However, we received a message from Raj Bhawan and Gen Hooda drove to meet Governor N N Vohra,” sources added.
“We are waiting since 2:30 PM and Gen Hooda is yet to come,” a reporter who is present at the presser venue inside Badambagh cantonment said.
While there is a delay of almost one and a-half hour, media personnel started leaving the spot. “But an army officer of the rank of Colonel came and is persuading Journalists to wait for some more time ,” the reporter added.
Given the grave crisis prevailing in Kashmir since July 09, 2016, army was deployed to man the Srinagar-Jammu highway.
