Lt Gen Raju to be new 15 Corps commander

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 14

Lieutenant General BS Raju, who in 2017 headed the Army’s counter-insurgency division in volatile south Kashmir, will be the new General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar-based sensitive 15 Corps, top defence sources said.

The officer was instrumental in getting back local youth, who had taken up arms, into the mainstream.

Lt General Raju will replace highly decorated Army officer Lt Gen Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, who was awarded the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal in recognition of his tenure as the Chinar Corps commander on Republic Day.

“Lt General Raju is assuming charge as the Chinar Corps commander soon,” a senior defence official said.

During his tenure as the General Officer Commanding of the Victor Force, responsible for the counter-insurgency operations in four volatile districts of south Kashmir, the Army officer was instrumental in facilitating the return of a footballer and bright student, Majid Khan, 20, of Anantnag district. Majid had joined militant ranks and his mother, through a widely circulated video on the social media, had made a passionate appeal to him to return.

After Majid’s return, the then GOC Victor Force, Maj General Raju, had said no charges would be pressed against him.

South Kashmir has emerged as the ground zero of new-age militancy after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani in 2016. Nearly 500 youths, a majority of them from south Kashmir districts, have joined militant ranks after the killing of Burhan Wani.

Lt General Raju had a stint earlier in Uri, where he commanded a Brigade which is responsible for guarding the Line of Control.

“The officer has the combined experiences of both counter-terrorist and counter-infiltration operations in Kashmir. He will balance both counter-infiltration operations along the LoC and counter-terrorist operations in the hinterland,” the defence official said.

The new posting of Lt General Dhillon is not known.

Lt General Dhillon’s tenure over the last one year has witnessed many landmark events, including the abrogation of Article 370 and the deadly Pulwama bombing. After the Pulwama bombing, 140 militants, including some top commanders, have been killed. Almost all key accused in the Pulwama bombing have been killed in various gunfights.