A confrontation between a senior Army officer and a government official over the Line of Control (LoC) fencing project has triggered a wave of outrage on social media, particularly among military veterans and defence supporters. The incident allegedly involved the assault of Colonel Ankush Chaudhary, Commanding Officer of an engineer regiment, by Assistant Defence Estate Officer (ADEO) Triyam Singh.
Colonel Chaudhary, who was overseeing a critical LoC fencing initiative following a recent infiltration attack in Pahalgam, had reportedly approached the ADEO to obtain necessary approvals. The fencing project is part of enhanced border security measures in the region. When ADEO Triyam Singh refused to sign the essential board proceedings and approve the land-use documentation, Colonel Chaudhary personally visited Singh’s office to resolve the matter.
According to multiple reports, the meeting turned hostile when ADEO Singh allegedly assaulted the Army officer. In response, soldiers from the engineer regiment, loyal to their Commanding Officer, retaliated against the official. The altercation has ignited a broader conversation around the conduct of civil officials handling defence land matters and the challenges in executing urgent military infrastructure projects.
Veterans and serving personnel have rallied behind the soldiers and Colonel Chaudhary, with many highlighting the emotional and professional bond between commanding officers and their troops. Former Northern Army Commander Lt Gen (Retd) KJS Dhillon posted, “For the soldiers, CO is next only to God. Touching a CO has consequences. A CO has responsibility to protect his jawans and he will lay down his life doing so, and vice versa for the jawans.”
The issue was made public by retired Army officer Sushil Singh Sheoran on social media platform X. Sheoran accused the Defence Estate Office (DEO) of corruption and obstructionism, stating, “The Defence Estate Office within the Ministry of Defence is known for its corruption and often tries to stall projects in exchange for bribes.”
While the Ministry of Defence has not issued an official statement yet, the incident has intensified calls for systemic reforms within the Defence Estate management system and better civil-military coordination in sensitive operational areas.
