Officer who tied man to jeep in Kashmir awarded for counter-insurgency ops

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 22

Army chief General Bipin Rawat has issued a 'Commendation Card' to Major Leetul Gogoi for sustained efforts in counter-insurgency operations.

Major Gogoi was accused of tying up a Kashmiri youth in front of jeep to ward off stone pelters.

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The award for Major Gogoi is seen as a backing of the action of the officer belonging to the 53 Rashtriya Rifles even as the Army maintained that a court of inquiry (CoI) into the incident is "under finalisation".

"Major Gogoi has been awarded Chief of Army Staff's Commendation Card for sustained efforts in counter-insurgency operations," Army spokesperson Col Aman Anand said.

Sources said Major Gogoi was given the award during Gen Rawat's visit to Jammu and Kashmir last week.

They said the CoI into the incident is still under finalisation.

The Army Chief's 'Commendation Card' is considered a prestigious award and is given for distinguished services and devotion to duties.

A video, showing the man tied to the army vehicle during polling in the Srinagar Lok Sabha by-election on April 9, had triggered a public outcry, prompting the Army to institute a probe.

The CoI was tasked to look into the circumstance that prompted Major Gogoi to tie the Kashmiri youth to the jeep's bonnet as a "human shield". — With PTI inputs