Army chief meets former comrade in Poonch, hails him for supporting troops during Operation Sindoor
Jammu (PTI): The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Upendra Dwivedi, on Saturday met his former comrade, retired Honorary Captain Subedar Parvez Ahmed, during his visit to the forward areas in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, officials said.
During the visit, the army chief also stopped at Kamsar village in the border district, where he met Ahmed, who served with 18 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles. The two had served together on several occasions, including when General Dwivedi commanded the battalion between 2002 and 2005, PRO Defence said.
"Ahmed joined the Indian Army in March 1991 and retired in March 2019 after completing 25 years of service", he said, adding that during his tenure, he served in operational and instructional roles, including as an instructor at training establishments, and completed several specialised courses.
According to the PRO, after Ahmed's retirement, he remained actively engaged with the local community and supported troops during Operation Sindoor by assisting in logistics and local coordination, drawing on his familiarity with the area. "His contributions during the operation earned him recognition from the army," he added.
In recognition of his continued service to society and support to the army, General Dwivedi felicitated Ahmed with the Veteran Achiever Award during the visit.
Additionally, General Dwivedi reviewed the operational preparedness of troops deployed along the Line of Control (LoC) and interacted with personnel at forward locations, commending them for their high morale and readiness, the PRO said.
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Bihar hooch tragedy toll rises to nine as three more persons die
Motihari (PTI): The toll in the hooch tragedy in Bihar's East Champaran district rose to nine on Sunday after three more people who had consumed spurious liquor died, officials said.
The first death was reported on Thursday, they said.
A total of 15 people have been arrested in connection with the deaths in the Turkauliya and Raghunathpur areas of Motihari, District Magistrate Saurabh Jorwal said.
A case of murder has already been registered on the basis of complaints filed by the family members of the deceased, police said.
Jorwal said one person is still in the hospital and his condition is reported to be critical.
"Seven persons have already been discharged after treatment," he told PTI.
"The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination. The exact cause of the deaths can only be known after the reports arrive," he said.
The SHO of Turkauliya police station has already been suspended on charge of dereliction of duty, and a special investigation team has been constituted to probe the incident, officials said.
The deaths have led to a political slugfest in the state, where the sale and consumption of alcohol has been banned since 2016.
