TAP TO UNMUTE

Highly-placed sources in the Defence establishment have told TIMES NOW that the Army chief has awarded a Medal of Commendation to Major Gogoi.

The Army man shot into prominence when he was photographed escaping a mob of stone-pelters in the Valley by tying an alleged stone-pelter to the bonnet of his car.

Read: Video shows man tied to an Army jeep in Kashmir, allegedly used as a human shield

The Army Chief's 'Commendation Card' for Major Gogoi comes even as a Court of Inquiry into the tying of the Kashmiri man to the jeep's bonnet purportedly as a shield against stone pelters was going on.

"Major Gogoi has been awarded Chief of Army Staff's Commendation Card for sustained efforts in counter-insurgency operations," Army spokesperson Aman Anand has said.

Gogoi was awarded during General Rawat's recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

While many have denounced his move to use a human shield, many in the Defence establishment have hailed the move as one that prevented violence in the Valley.