Lt Gen Kumar Steps Down as Northern Army Commander After 15 Months

Jammu, April 30: Lt Gen M V Suchindra Kumar on Wednesday stepped down as the head of the Udhampur-based Northern Command upon reaching the age of superannuation, officials confirmed. He is succeeded by Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, who will take charge as the new General Officer Commanding-in-Chief on Thursday.

The change in leadership comes at a sensitive time, following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, South Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives, including many tourists, escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

Marking the end of his service, Lt Gen Kumar paid tribute at the Dhruva War Memorial in Udhampur, laying a wreath in honour of fallen soldiers, the Army said in a post on X.

Lt Gen Kumar assumed command in February last year, taking over from current Army Chief Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi. His 15-month tenure included overseeing security and operations along India’s northern frontiers, covering Jammu & Kashmir, parts of Himachal Pradesh, and Ladakh.