The Army is using land in Ladakh division of Jammu and Kashmir for entertaining the families of their officials in the name of defence of the nation, the Jammu and Kashmir government has alleged. State Advocate General M I Qadiri said this in an affidavit submitted before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court while responding to Army’s claim about a piece of land near the picturesque Pangong lake.

The affidavit was filed in response to Army’s claim that police could not proceed against erring officials who had allegedly manhandled civil and police officials while they were returning after demolishing an “unauthorised” structure of the Army at the lake in Ladakh region.

“...in fact, the boat is being used by the Army on the pretext of patrolling for the entertainment of their families and not for any defence purpose only and so far as no one has witnessed that the boat has been used either for surveillance or any other defence purpose,” the affidavit said while referring to the deployment of boat patrol base.

The dispute was sparked as police secured a non-bailable warrant against three Army officials — Major General Manvendra Singh (the then Brigadier), Colonel M P Erray and Major S Dabbas — from Chief Judicial Magistrate in Leh for allegedly manhandling civilian officials, who were returning from Pangong lake after demolishing the alleged illegal structure erected by the Army in 2005.