Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 22: Army Headquarters was likely to effect major changes of top Army Commanders in all three regions of Jammu and Kashmir following successful tenure of present incumbents, who were likely to get important postings at different places soon on their transfers from the State. The GOCs of 26 Tiger Division Jammu and 25 Infantry Division Rajouri have also been transferred.
Official sources told the Excelsior that General Officers Commanding (GOCs) of Nagrota based 16 Corps, Srinagar based 15 Corps and Leh based 14 Corps were likely to be transferred shortly and replaced by new Army Commanders. All three GOCs, presently posted in J&K, were likely to get important assignments at various places in view of commendable job done by them here in anti-militancy and counter-infiltration measures apart from taking various steps to strengthen Indian positions on the Line of Control (LoC) and Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Lt Gen RR Nimbhorkar, presently posted as GOC Mumbai-Goa-Gujarat, is likely to be posted as new GOC of Nagrota based 16 Corps vice Lt Gen KH Singh, who is likely to be posted as Commandant Infantry School Mhow after successful tenure here during which infiltration attempts on the LoC in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch were completely curbed.
Lt Gen Nimbhorkar has experience of serving in Rajouri district earlier, which he would be heading as GOC 16 Corps among other locations. He had headed a Unit in Sunderbani and commanded a Brigade in Nowshera. He belonged to Kumaon Regiment.
The posting orders were likely to be issued in the next few days.
Lt Gen SK Dua, an 8 JAK Li officer, who has commanded Assam Rifles and is presently posted in Army Headquarters, could be the new GOC of Srinagar based 15 Corps in place of Lt Gen Subrata Saha.
Lt Gen Saha is also tipped to get important posting in the Army Headquarters. During his tenure, a number of top militants were neutralized by the Army both on the LoC and hinterland and counter-insurgency grid was strengthened. Army did commendable job under his command during September, 2014 floods, which were widely acknowledged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and the Army Headquarters.
Sources said Lt Gen SK Patyal, a Gorkha Regiment officer presently in Army Headquarters, could be the new GOC of Leh based 14 Corps in place of Lt Gen BS Negi.
Lt Gen Negi is being considered for new postings in Army Headquarters or Northern Command.
It may be mentioned here that India shares long but undemarcated Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in Leh, where incursions by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China have come down considerably during past about one year especially after the takeover of new Government at the Centre.
Only few days back, Major General Sanjeev Narain had taken over as new GOC of Jammu based Tiger Division from Maj Gen Dushyant Singh. Tiger Division falls under Yol Cantonment (Himachal Pradesh) based 9 Corps.
Major General Dushyant Singh has been posted as Commandant, Junior Leaders Wing at Belgaon in Karnataka.
Major General Saranjit Singh, who was heading 25 Infantry Division at Rajouri, which was commanding both twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, has been transferred. He has been replaced by Major General DA Chaturvedi.
Maj Gen Saranjit Singh has been posted as Chief of Staff in 33 Corps at Sukhna, Siliguri.
Twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch have witnessed steep decline in militancy and infiltration during the past few years. Infiltration has virtually been brought to negligible in the two border districts.
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