Srinagar: General Officer Commanding 15 Corps, Lt General D P Pandey and Inspector General of Police Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar on Thursday evening attended a candlelight vigil at Lal Chowk here organised in the memory of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat.
Lt Gen Pandey termed Gen Rawat as a “soldiers general and man who was close to Kashmiris”. “ The martyr was a great soldier and he was have great ground connect in Kashmir,” Pandey told reporters.
“I saw the happening of this condolence meet in new channels and came to physically attend it. So great of you all and people of Kashmir,” Lt Gen Pandey said. “ I can see how close he was to people of Kashmir especially masses from Baramulla and Sopore,” he said.
Speaking during the event, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that he had worked closely with Gen Rawat. “I was SSP Kupwara and Gen sahib was Sector Commander in Sopore,” he said adding that they have carried out various tasks together. “He was a role model and we will carry forward his legacy,” IGP said that this year in July, he had interaction with Gen Rawat during a President of India visit.
During the event a large number of youth paid rich tributes to Gen Rawat.The event was organised to pay homage to Gen Rawat and others who died in an aircraft crash on Wednesday afternoon in Tamil Nadu.
Gen Rawat had served at important positions in Kashmir during the last three decades that include Commander of Sopore base 5 Sector Rashtriya Rifles and GOC of 19 Infantry Division based in Baramulla .