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Fact Check: Claims of Lt Gen Kumar’s arrest after Pahalgam Attack is misleading

April 30, 2025

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.

Screenshot of an article published on April 30, 2025, by the Times of Karachi with the headline ‘India’s general Kumar arrested for refusing anti-Pakistan action after Pahalgam.’ The article features a photo of Lieutenant General M.V. Suchindra Kumar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army’s Northern Command, standing in front of Indian military and national flags while wearing camouflage uniform. The report claims, without official confirmation, that Gen. Kumar was arrested for allegedly refusing to lead military operations against Pakistan in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. This claim has not been substantiated by the Indian government or verified by independent sources, raising concerns about misinformation amid escalating regional tensions.

Screenshot of a news article from Dunya News with the headline 'Indian general arrested for refusing misadventure against Pakistan.' The article appears on the Dunya News website under the 'In-focus' section alongside trending topics like 'CJP Yahya Afridi,' 'IMF,' and 'Pahalgam Attack.' The website’s navigation bar includes sections such as Pakistan, World, Cricket, Entertainment, Business, Crime, Sports, and more. Below the headline is a partial image of construction workers on scaffolding in front of a high-rise building, which is unrelated to the headline. The article claims, without official verification, that an Indian Army general was arrested for allegedly opposing military action against Pakistan after the April 22 Pahalgam terror incident—an unverified claim likely contributing to ongoing misinformation and heightened cross-border tensions.

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 Informat i on 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.

Screenshot of an India Today article announcing Lt Gen Pratik Sharma's appointment as the new Northern Army Commander of India amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The headline reads 'Lt Gen Pratik Sharma is Northern Army Commander amid tension over Pahalgam attack.' The article states that the Northern Command oversees operations in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The image below the headline features Lt Gen Pratik Sharma in military uniform with a blue background. The left sidebar shows navigation options for categories like India, Global, Business, Technology, Sports, and Fact Check. The byline credits journalist Manjeet Singh Negi and editor Aparna Vats, with the article updated on April 29, 2025. The layout includes options to share the article and listen to the story. This announcement appears to counter misinformation claiming the previous commander was arrested. — Link

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.