Editor's Pick | 3 officers taken off posts as Army probes civilian deaths

Three officers, including the Brigadier in-charge in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, have been “attached” with a local unit pending inquiry into the deaths of three civilians detained by the Army reported on December 22. The J&K Police have already registered a murder case against unidentified persons over the deaths. Amid the prevailing tensions, the Chief of the Army Staff, General Manoj Pande, visited the Poonch sector on Monday, and was given an update on the security situation. The officers are the Brigade Commander, the Commanding Officer and the second-in-command of the unit concerned, it has been learnt. The three officers have been “attached as per procedure”, while an Army inquiry is under way, two sources independently confirmed. All three were attached to the Nagrota-based 16 Corps, another source said. Meanwhile, a search operation to nab those responsible for firing on the Army vehicles is still on. Eight men from the tribal Gujjar Bakkarwal community were detained by the Army following an attack on two vehicles carrying troops around 3.45 p.m. on December 21 in the Poonch-Rajouri area, which resulted in the deaths of four soldiers. They have been identified as Naik Birendra Singh, Naik Karan Kumar, rifleman Chandan Kumar and rifleman Gautam Kumar. The troops were heading to an operational area at Thanamandi in Rajouri where an encounter was on since the night of December 20. A 29-second video that went viral on social media showed persons, believed to be Army personnel, stripping three men and sprinkling chilli powder on them. The J&K Police registered a first information report at the Surankote police station on Sunday after the three were found dead with multiple injuries. Earlier, a defence spokesman in Jammu said the Army chief reached Jammu in the afternoon and immediately left for the Rajouri-Poonch sector to review the operational preparedness and the prevailing security situation. Editorials Debt debate: On the IMF’s latest India consultation details, Finance Ministry’s response Carry on, doctor: On the amended Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita Bill The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz In November 2022, which leading Indian hospital/medical institution, suffered a ransomware attack where hackers reportedly demanded ₹200 crores in cryptocurrency? Medanta Medicity Apollo Hospitals Manipal Hospitals AIIMS To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 26 December 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( 3 officers taken off posts as Army probes civilian deaths Three officers, including the Brigadier in-charge in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, have been “attached” with a local unit pending inquiry into the deaths of three civilians detained by the Army reported on December 22. The J&K Police have already registered a murder case against unidentified persons over the deaths. Amid the prevailing tensions, the Chief of the Army Staff, General Manoj Pande, visited the Poonch sector on Monday, and was given an update on the security situation. The officers are the Brigade Commander, the Commanding Officer and the second-in-command of the unit concerned, it has been learnt. The three officers have been “attached as per procedure”, while an Army inquiry is under way, two sources independently confirmed. All three were attached to the Nagrota-based 16 Corps, another source said. Meanwhile, a search operation to nab those responsible for firing on the Army vehicles is still on. Eight men from the tribal Gujjar Bakkarwal community were detained by the Army following an attack on two vehicles carrying troops around 3.45 p.m. on December 21 in the Poonch-Rajouri area, which resulted in the deaths of four soldiers. They have been identified as Naik Birendra Singh, Naik Karan Kumar, rifleman Chandan Kumar and rifleman Gautam Kumar. The troops were heading to an operational area at Thanamandi in Rajouri where an encounter was on since the night of December 20. A 29-second video that went viral on social media showed persons, believed to be Army personnel, stripping three men and sprinkling chilli powder on them. The J&K Police registered a first information report at the Surankote police station on Sunday after the three were found dead with multiple injuries. Earlier, a defence spokesman in Jammu said the Army chief reached Jammu in the afternoon and immediately left for the Rajouri-Poonch sector to review the operational preparedness and the prevailing security situation. 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