Lt Gen. Manoj Mukund to take over as next Indian COAS

The Indian government on Monday approved the appointment of Lieutenant General Manoj Mukund Naravane as the next Chief of Army Staff (COAS), The Hindu reported.

Lt Gen Naravane, who is currently the vice chief of Indian army, will take over as India’s 28th COAS from incumbent General Bipin Rawat whose term will end on December 31.

Army officials, told The Hindu that Lt Gen Naravane is the senior most officer and the government had went with the “seniority principle” in the appointment.

The incoming Indian army chief’s tenure will last till April 2022 till his superannuation.

Lt Gen Manoj Naravane, has also commanded a Rashtriya Rifles battalion in Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK).

According to the details, the battalion is Indian army’s “elite counter insurgency unit” and mostly operates in the occupied valley.

The general has also served as the New Delhi’s defence attache to Myanmar.

The next big appointment to be made by the Indian government is of its first chief of defence staff (CDS).

The Hindu claimed that the incumbent army chief General Rawat is the front runner for the post.

Moreover, the clashes at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) started after the agitation against the bill by the students of Jamia Millia Islamia University on Sunday.

Sixty students of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) were injured as clashes broke out between the students and the police during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) bill at the University gate.

After the protest, the administration announced closure of the university till January 5, 2020.

AMU Registrar Abdul Hamid said the police entered the campus late Sunday night and clashes were reported from inside. “Hostels are being evacuated,” he said.

The Supreme Court today said the “rioting” must stop and there should be peace, responding to request to take note of police action on students.

Unstoppable clashes in Indian capital, Delhi between police and hundreds of university students has erupted which leaves five dead, including three after being shot by police.