Army’s ops professional, dedicated: Lt Gen Ranbir

Our Correspondent

Anantnag, June 20

Army’s Northern Command Chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said on Thursday that operations in the state were being conducted in a professional and dedicated manner.

He was speaking after renaming an Army Goodwill School in Wuzur Kulgam after Ashok Chakra awardee Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani. Singh was answering a question regarding inconveniences caused to general public on the national highway during convoy movement and a recent incident in Srinagar wherein a traffic cop was ruthlessly beaten up by Armymen.

“We have a very strong code of conduct which values human dignity,” Singh told reporters in response to the question. “Our operations are being conducted in a very dedicated and professional manner”. He assured that whenever there are actions to be taken, they are taken at appropriate levels.

Earlier in his speech, Singh praised Wani and said the slain soldier was an example of bravery. He complimented Wani’s wife, also present at the function, for being strong and unflinching in the face of adversity. “It is a matter of great pride for all of us that we have assembled here today to pay homage to our martyr, Nazir Ahmad Wani,” Singh said.

Wani was killed on November 25 last year during an anti-militancy operation in Batagund village of Kulgam district. He became the first Kashmiri to be awarded the prestigious Ashok Chakra award on January 26 earlier this year.

Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh also made a reference of other achievers and heroes of Kashmir, such as Umar Faiyaz and Inspector Arshad Khan, SHO of Anantnag, among others.

Also present on the occasion was the family of Rauf Ahmad Dar, who died recently while rescuing tourists from a rafting mishap in Pahalgam. Singh said Dar was an example of what India stands for and the Indian Army saluted his bravado.

“This is what all of us stand for. He laid down his life without even thinking who the tourists were or where they had come from. He is a role model for all of us,” Singh said. The ceremony was attended by the students of Goodwill School, Wuzur. Singh advised the children to work hard and do something worthwhile for Kashmir and the nation.