Army was in control, says Dalbir Singh

The Chief of the Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh, on Wednesday put up a vociferous defence of the government’s counter-terror operations in Pathankot, saying the Army was in control of it and he monitored the situation.

But his defence of the Centre, however, raised several questions, including the contradiction in the claims of the Air Force and the government. His statements went against the observations of security experts about the Army’s failure to put up a security perimeter.

“As far as the Army is concerned, it was not under anybody; it was under Army Commander, Western Command.. He was [Army Commander] the one controlling the operation,” Gen. Singh said at the annual press conference ahead of Army Day. He said the Army Para Special Forces were present on the ground. “On the ground, it was the Army Brigade Commander who was controlling the operation.”