The Brigadier in charge of the 13 Sector Rashtriya Rifles, overseeing Poonch in Jammu & Kashmir, has been reassigned pending an investigation into alleged torture videos and the deaths of three civilians. These civilians were among the eight individuals detained by the Army on Friday following the killing of four soldiers in a terrorist ambush. A new officer from Kashmir has assumed command of the 13 Sector Rashtriya Rifles.
“Brigadier P. Acharya has been attached (a term used in the Army when officers are taken off duty pending a probe and deployed with another unit or the headquarters) pending the investigation. A new officer has taken over the command. Formal posting orders will come in time,” a source stated.
Additionally, it is anticipated that more officers and personnel will be attached as the probe investigates the civilian deaths. The central government has viewed the torture videos and deaths with great concern, issuing strict instructions to the Army to establish accountability.
“This is not a sacking. This is an attachment because the said officer’s conduct is under probe. Further course of action, including the kind of punishment, will be based on the outcome of the internal probe,” a second source clarified. Furthermore, the police probe will scrutinize the deaths and examine whether certain Army officers attempted to cover up and influence the civil investigation.
The civilians were reportedly detained by the same formation that suffered casualties of four soldiers in a terrorist ambush on Thursday in Poonch.
The identities of the slain soldiers are as Naik Birender Singh, Naik Karan Kumar, Rifleman Gautam Kumar, and Rifleman Chandan Kumar. It is reported that the bodies of at least two soldiers were mutilated.
In November, the Rajouri Poonch area has witnessed a troubling trend over the past one-and-a-half years, with soldiers repeatedly ambushed by terrorists. Acknowledging operational gaps in the Rajouri Poonch area, sources mentioned ongoing efforts to rectify the situation. (TRK NEWS)
