A firing incident took place at the Bathinda military station in Punjab in the early hours of Wednesday, claiming the lives of four Army personnel.
The Punjab Police, which is investigating the matter along with their military counterparts, said according to the information gathered so far, the incident was not a “terrorist act".
The Army said it deployed quick-reaction teams and cordoned off the area.
Bathinda Superintendent of Police (Detective) Ajay Gandhi, who headed the police investigation, told reporters that 19 empty shells of INSAS rifle were found on the spot. Quoting an Army jawan, Gandhi said two people in civilian clothes opened fire.
He said the slain jawans were identified as Sagar Banne (25), Kamalesh R (24), Yogesh Kumar J (24) and Santosh M Nagaral (25).
He said CCTV footage is being scanned and the Army is conducting a cordon-and-search operation and the entire area has been sanitized.
“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 Army’s South Western command said in a statement.
The Army said the area continues to be sealed off and joint investigations with the Punjab Police are being coordinated to establish facts of the case.
What We Know So Far
- The four personnel, in their mid 20s, were sleeping when the firing took place around 4:30 am near the barracks behind a mess.
- An FIR has been registered under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act.
- As per the FIR, two unidentified persons wearing white kurta pyjamas are behind the act. One of the two persons was seen with an INSAS rifle and the other with an axe. Both ran towards a forest near the barracks after the attack.
- An INSAS rifle that was reported missing has been found along with the magazine. The Army and Police Joint teams will now be undertaking forensic analysis of the weapon for ascertaining further details. The balance number of rounds in the weapon will only be available after forensic analysis.
- No individual has been detained/apprehended so far, the Army said.
- It is learnt that Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande briefed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the matter.
- The police said they still have no information on who opened fire, and the matter is under investigation. “Our investigation is going on jointly with military police," the Bathinda SP said.
- It further 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.
- Punjab’s Additional Director General of Police, SPS Parmar told PTI, “It is not a terrorist attack, it is not an attack from outside. It is a fratricidal incident”.
- Bathinda Senior Superintendent of Police Gulneet Singh Khurana said as per the information, they have gathered so far, it is clear that it is not a “terrorist act".
- Bathinda Police Station Cantt Station House Officer Gurdeep Singh said nobody has been detained in connection with the incident so far.
(With PTI inputs)
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