Aayushi Rana 
A number of social media posts and fringe websites have asserted that the Government of India arrested Lieutenant General M.V. Suchindra Kumar, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army’s Northern Command, for refusing to lead an “anti-Pakistan adventure” following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
Origin of the Misinformation
- 24NewsHD.tv (April 29, 2025): Reported that “India arrests Gen Kumar for refusing anti-Pakistan adventure after Pahalgam” with no sourcing beyond unnamed “media reports.”
- Times of Karachi (April 30, 2025): Claimed the arrest “followed his refusal to take retaliatory military action against Pakistan,” citing “media reports” but offering no verifiable evidence.
- DunyaNews.tv (April 30, 2025): Repeated the allegation that Gen Kumar “refused to initiate any misadventure against Pakistan,” leading to his arrest.
Fact Check
Upon investigation, we found the claim to be misleading.
We began by cross-verifying with official Indian Army Twitter accounts — @Whiteknight_IA and @adgpi — neither of which mentioned any such arrest. Additionally, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check team issued a statement categorically denying these claims. According to the official clarification, Lt Gen Kumar is retiring on April 30, 2025, as scheduled, due to superannuation, and will be succeeded by Lt Gen Pratik Sharma.
Furthermore, reports from Hindustan Times and India Today were cross-checked, and neither publication made any mention of the alleged arrest of the General.
Additionally, a report by India Today confirms that Lt Gen Pratik Sharma will take over command after Lt Gen Kumar’s 15-month tenure. The report also highlights Lt Gen Sharma’s significant credentials, including his prior appointments as Director General of Military Operations, in the Military Secretary branch, and as Director General of Information Warfare at the newly established Information Directorate at Army Headquarters, New Delhi.
Moreover, the report recalls that in February 2024, Lt Gen Kumar had assumed the role of GOC-in-C Northern Command from Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, who has since taken over as Chief of Army Staff.
In addition, we have reached out to the Indian Army via email regarding this claim and are currently awaiting their response. This fact check will be updated as soon as we receive any official communication.
Conclusion
The claim that Lt Gen M.V. Suchindra Kumar was arrested for refusing to lead military action against Pakistan is Misleading. It appears to be a case of deliberate misinformation spread by unreliable sources without credible evidence. According to the official clarification, Lt Gen Kumar is retiring on April 30, 2025, as scheduled, due to superannuation, and will be succeeded by Lt Gen Pratik Sharma.
Nisar Ahmed Siddiqui