NEW DELHI, Apr 12: Four army personnel belonging to an artillery unit were killed inside the Bathinda military station in Punjab in firing in the wee hours of Wednesday.
Even though there was no official communication about the cause of the deaths, the police ruled out a terror attack and suspected that it could be an “inside” job. The army authorities are also investigating possible involvement of an INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing from the armoury two days back in the killing of the four personnel. The firing took place in the officers’ mess around 4.35 A.M and immediately the entire area has been sealed off and quick response teams are conducting a search, the Army’s South Western Command said.
“Firing incident reported in the early hours of the morning around 0435h inside Bathinda Military Station. Station Quick Reaction Teams were activated. Area was cordoned off and sealed. Search operations, are in progress. It has been ascertained that in the unfortunate incident, four army jawans of an artillery unit succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during the incident. No other injuries to personnel or loss-damage to property have been reported.” “The area continues to be sealed off and joint investigations with Punjab Police are being coordinated to establish the facts of the case,” it added.
Another statement issued later said the Army and Punjab police are holding a joint investigation into the incident. On reports that an INSAS rifle and ammunition that went missing two days back could have been used in the incident, the Army statement said, “All aspects including the possible case of involvement of an INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back are being ascertained.”
Bathinda’s Senior Superintendent of Police Gulneet Khuruna told journalists that according to an initial investigation, it appears to be a fratricidal incident. “..we are in touch with the Army authorities and our team has reached the spot and in-depth, a probe is being done. I want to make it clear that this is not a terrorist attack. The investigation so far reveals that the incident is related to some internal issues,” said Khurana. Separately, Additional Director General of Police, Surinder Pal Singh Parmar, said “It is not a terrorist attack, it is not an attack from outside. It is a fratricidal incident.”
The Army has pressed into service hex copters and drones to locate the assailants who killed the jawans, sources said. A cordon and search operation is underway at the station and a total clampdown on unnecessary movement of residents has been imposed, sources added. The Bathinda military station is one of the largest in the country with vast open spaces.
(Manas Dasgupta)