New Delhi: In some tense moments for the security establishment over the weekend, former Deputy Chief of the Army, Lieutenant General Shantanu Dayal (retired), was reported missing on Friday evening by his family and found a day later by the police walking on Outer Ring Road.
Sources in the Delhi Police said the 60-year-old officer, who retired on 31 October last year, had left his official residence near Sunehri Bagh Road Friday evening.
“He left around 6:30 pm that evening and didn’t return after which the family alerted the police around 12 midnight. He was found the next day by the police around 6:30 pm,” a senior police officer told ThePrint.
Such was the scare that the Delhi Police even put up a post on social media asking the public to inform the South Avenue police station on any information regarding his whereabouts.
According to the post, Dayal was seen around his house at about 9:15 pm Friday near his house, wearing a white jacket and black pajamas. The post was taken down later after he was traced by the police.
The reason for Dayal’s disappearance, however, isn’t exactly clear. It appeared initially that the retired lieutenant general left home due to a domestic disagreement, the sources said.
“He hasn’t told us yet why he left his house and where exactly he went. Upon returning, he informed the police that he was exhausted and wanted to go home. He was perfectly oriented (at that time),” the senior police officer said.
The retired army officer lives in the official residence with his wife and daughter. On Sunday, a police team tried to get in touch with Dayal, but the sources said that his staff told them that he was still sleeping.
Lt. Gen. Dayal of the Army’s Garhwal Rifles held important appointments in his career. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy in Pune, he was commissioned in 1984 as an infantry officer.
Prior to becoming the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development and Sustenance), a position from which he retired, the senior officer commanded the Tejpur-based 4 Corps that looks after the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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