Former Rashtriya Rifles chief passes away

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 13

Former Director General of the Rashtriya Rifles, the Army’s counter-terrorism force in Jammu and Kashmir, Gen KPD Samanta passed away at the age of 70 in New Delhi on Monday, after battling cancer.

Belonging to the 34th Course of the National Defence Academy, Kharakvasla, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Regiment of Artillery and fought the 1971 Indo-Pak war in the Eastern Theatre.

Later, he participated in Operation Blue Star and the fight against terrorism in Punjab, and went on to command an artillery regiment at Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield.

During the 1999 Kargil war, Gen Samanta was instrumental in helping deploy the 155 mm Bofors guns in difficult conditions, which later proved to be a decisive weapon in neutralising Pakistani intruders.

As Commander of Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha sub area, he contributed in providing aid to civil authorities during various calamities and formulating policies on disaster management.

He also oversaw the military assistance in the Bihar floods of 2002 and the Rajdhani train accident at Gaya.

After retirement, he served as an Administrative member of the Armed Forces Tribunal in Kolkata. He belonged to Odisha and was an alumnus of the Sainik School.