Army celebrates J&K ‘arrival day’

The Army celebrated 69th Infantry Day at various locations across Jammu and Kashmir, including Northern Command headquarters in garrison town of Udhampur and Srinagar-based Chinar Corps command centre as separatists observed Indian troops’ arrival in Kashmir as a “black day”, prompting the authorities to step up security across the Valley on Thursday.

The day is observed every year on October 27, coinciding with the arrival of first batch of Indian troops in Srinagar on this day in 1947.

The General Officer Commanding in Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Northern Command, Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda, in a message complimented all soldiers “for their devotion to duty and indomitable spirit while working under trying and difficult conditions”. He acknowledged their “tremendous contribution in maintaining the sanctity of the nation’s borders and fighting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir”.

Wreaths were laid on the “Dhruva Shahid Smarak” in Udhampur, in remembrance and honour of all those members of the Infantry fraternity, who made the supreme sacrifice for the honour and safety of the country in Jammu and Kashmir and beyond, defence spokesman Colonel N.N. Joshi said.

The first batch of infantry troops from Sikh Regiment’s first battalion was airlifted to Srinagar on October 27, 1947 following Maharaja Hari Singh signed the “Instrument of Accession”. The accession was supported by Kashmir’s legendary leader Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah.

However, various separatist parties while alleging that India forcibly occupied Jammu and Kashmir on the pretext of the Maharaja’s seeking its military assistance to push back the Pakistani tribal raiders had called for observing “black day” on the anniversary of the Army’s arrival here.

The separatists, like some historians, allege that sending in troops by New Delhi had been planned days before they actually arrived at the Srinagar airport on October 27, 1947.