Handwara incident highly regrettable, says Northern Army commander

Srinagar: Terming the Handwara incident as “highly regrettable”, Northern Army Commander Lt General DS Hooda, who visited the area on Tuesday, favoured early completion of probe into the killing of three persons after security personnel opened fired during a violent protest on Tuesday.[caption id=“attachment_1553391” align=“alignleft” width=“300”]  Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda. AFP[/caption] “The Army has offered to take care of the expenses for hospital care and subsequent rehabilitation of those injured in the incident,” defence spokesman Lt Colonel NN Joshi said in Srinagar. “The Northern Army Commander Lt Gen D S Hooda accompanied by Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen Satish Dua today visited the Handwara area and interacted with officers and soldiers regarding the incident in which three civilians were killed when protesters tried to storm an Army post,” Joshi said. The General Officer Commanding in Chief of Army’s Northern Command termed the incident as “highly regrettable” and asked for an early completion of the inquiry which has been already ordered, the spokesman said. Army had on Tuesday ordered an inquiry into the incident while police said a magisterial probe and a departmental inquiry are being conducted. A junior police officer was today suspended for “mishandling” the law and order situation. “Assistant Sub-Inspector Rafiq Ahmad has been suspended pending inquiries into yesterday’s incident,” a senior police official said on Monday. PTI