Majid Jahangir

A counter-insurgency expert with varied experience in tackling Kashmir militancy is likely to don the mantle of the highly sensitive 15 Corps of the Army.

Lt Gen KJS Dhillon is likely to take charge of the Army’s Srinagar-based sensitive and strategic 15 Corps in February, defence sources in Delhi said.

Lt General Dhillon is at present the Director General of Perspective Planning of the Army. He has previously served in various capacities in the conflict-hit Kashmir.

He will be replacing Lt Gen AK Bhatt, who had taken over as the General Officer Commanding of the 15 Corps, also called the Chinar Corps, on January 31, 2017.

“The new Corps Commander is assuming office in February,” a senior defence official said.

Lt General Bhatt is proceeding to New Delhi to assume charge of the Military Secretary, the defence official added.

Lt General Dhillon, a Raj Rif officer, had earlier served in the Valley and commanded a counter-insurgency brigade — 7 Sector of the Rashtriya Rifles — at Handwara in frontier Kupwara district in 2011.

As the Brigade Commander, he was instrumental in planning a large number of anti-militancy operations in Handwara. Later, he also served as the Brigadier General Staff of the 15 Corps.

Lt General Dhillon also commanded the 36 Infantry Division, also called RAPID in the Southern Command.

The new Corps Commander would assume office at a time when J&K is gearing up for the parliamentary and Assembly elections. During the tenure of Lt General Bhatt, the security forces stepped up anti-militancy operations in Kashmir. Over 240 militants were killed in Kashmir during his tenure

Courtesy:The Tribune,Jan,07,2019