More checks on postings, says Army Chief

Pahalgam (J-K)/Bangalore, Nov 12 (ANI): In the backdrop of the arrest of an army officer in connection to the Malegaon blasts, Army Chief Deepak Kapoor said on Wednesday that army would put in place more checks on postings and connectivities.

Kapoor was speaking to the media on the sidelines of a function in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir today.

"I did mention and talked about checks and balances which are existing within the armed forces and plus we are instituting little more of checks whether in terms of postings and terms of profile, in terms of connectivities, linkages. So we look at the aspect when we post the officers and men to various sectors," said Kapoor.

Lieutenant-Colonel Srikant Prasad Purohit was arrested by the police on November 05 in connection with the Malegaon blasts that killed five people.

A local court in Nasik has remanded Purohit to police custody till November 15. The court also approved conducting narco-analysis test on him.

The officer is accused of having helped Hindu militants with bomb-making and other logistics in the attack in the Muslim-dominated towns of Malegaon and Modasa in September.

A retired soldier was also questioned in the case, which has embarrassed the army.

Meanwhile, Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, speaking in support of the Indian Army said that these individual cases should not be taken as a taint to the entire army.

"Indian army is one point one million. In that if one person does something wrong so I don't think it makes an impact on the army," Major said at a function in Bangalore where President Pratibha Devisingh Patil presented the President's Colours and the President's Standard ceremonial flags.

For years, bomb attacks in India have mostly been blamed on Islamist militants. Even attacks on mosques were often blamed on Islamists seeking to spark communal tension between India's majority Hindus and minority Muslims.

Muslim leaders have accused authorities of conducting a witch hunt and reinforcing stereotypes about their community after dozens of Muslims were detained following a string of bomb attacks across the country this year.

In August, two suspected Hindu militant fundamentalists died while trying to build a bomb in Kanpur. (ANI)