In a major shakeup within India’s defence establishment, the Director General of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), Lt. Gen. D.S. Rana, has been dismissed following the leak of classified documents related to the controversial Pahalgam false flag operation, sources confirmed.
According to well-placed defence insiders, the fallout from the failed operation has deeply embarrassed the Indian military, triggering a wave of high-level dismissals. Lt. Gen. Rana has reportedly been transferred to the remote Andaman and Nicobar Command — commonly referred to as “Kala Pani” — known for its harsh conditions and minimal strategic significance, signalling a punitive demotion.
The leaked document, believed to have been under Gen. Rana’s direct custody, exposed covert operational details implicating Indian military and intelligence agencies, particularly the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), in orchestrating the staged incident in Pahalgam. The disclosure has sparked a storm of criticism, placing the Indian government and its intelligence apparatus in a difficult position internationally.
Sources claim that the document’s leak originated directly from Gen. Rana’s office, eventually reaching media outlets and causing a severe breach in operational secrecy. The scandal has put India’s internal chain of command under scrutiny.
This is not the first fallout from the Pahalgam debacle. Deputy Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar of the Indian Air Force was also reportedly dismissed, while Northern Command chief Lt. Gen. M.V. Sachinder Kumar was replaced by Lt. Gen. Prateek Sharma shortly after the incident.
Defense analysts see these forced reshuffles as a direct admission of operational failure. “The transfer of high-ranking officers like Gen. Rana to less significant posts reflects the Indian military’s internal disarray after the exposure of the false flag operation,” said one expert. “Such decisions may further erode morale among both leadership and troops.”
