Srinagar, Aug 30 (Reporter) Lt Gen Prashant Srivastava, an counter-insurgency expert, is likely to take charge of the Army’s Srinagar-based sensitive and strategic 15 Corps in October, defence sources said. He will be replacing Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, who had taken over as the General Officer Commanding of the 15 Corps, also called the Chinar Corps, on June 14, 2023. The Army's Chinar Corps is responsible for guarding the volatile Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir and keeping the hinterland safe from militants. Lt Gen Ghai will likely replace Lt Gen Prateek Sharma, as the new Director General of Military Operations. Lt Gen Srivastava, will take over 15 Corps at a time when a government would be in place in Jammu and Kashmir as the three phased assembly elections—being held after a gap of 10 years—would be over by October 1. The counting of votes is scheduled for October 4. Lt Gen Srivastava was commissioned into an elite Parachute Battalion of the Special Forces in June 1990 and has varied experience in tackling Kashmir militancy. The senior Army officer has vast operational experience having served in intense counter insurgency environment in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and the North East. In his last posting in Kashmir, he served as General Officer Commanding of the Awantipora based Counter Insurgency Division - Victor Force – and was instrumental in planning a large number of anti-militancy operations in south Kashmir. It was during his tenure as GoC Victor Force in early 2022 that the number of active militants in south Kashmir spread over four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian- came down below 100, defence officials said. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Lt Gen Srivastava has attended all important career courses, including Defence Services Staff Courses Wellington (Tamil Nadu), Higher Command Course and National Defence College (USA)...////...