2 masked men gun down 4 soldiers in Bathinda military station

BATHINDA: Four soldiers of an artillery unit were killed at Bathinda military station early Wednesday, reportedly by two masked assailants in white kurta-pyjamas who had slipped into the barracks behind the officers’ mess around 4.35am and fired about 19 rounds at the jawans sleeping in two adjoining rooms on the first floor.
Gunners Yogesh Kumar, Sagar Banne, Kamlesh R and Santosh M Nagaral — all between 24 and 25 years — died in the attack. The bodies were sent to Bathinda Civil Hospital for an autopsy.
There’s not much clarity about the killings and no arrests have been made yet. Investigators are trying to find out if it’s a case of fratricide or a terror attack. Additional DGP Surinderpal Singh Parmar said before an FIR was filed that initial reports suggest it could be “an internal issue, not anything from outside, but everything is being looked into”.
Gunner Desai Mohan saw the suspects, who had their head and face covered, leave the barracks towards the jungle abutting the military station, which is away from the city and spread over a few kilometres along the Bathinda-Chandigarh national highway. One of them was carrying an Insas rifle and the other had an axe.
These details are from the FIR registered by Punjab policeon a complaint by Major Ashutosh Shukla of 80 Medium Regiment against two unknown assailants.
An Insas rifle and 28 rounds of ammunition had gone missing from the military station on April 9 and a complaint was lodged with the Bathinda Cantt police station. A search team recovered a rifle and bullets Wednesday evening. Nineteen spent casings were found in the barracks. The weapon and ammunition will be sent for a forensic analysis to know if these are the “missing” ordnance.
Punjab and military police are investigating the shooting of the soldiers, who were on duty at the officers’ mess and sleeping in the barracks close by after their shift got over late Tuesday night. Yogesh and Sagar were sharing a room, while Santosh and Kamesh were in an adjoining room. The doors to their rooms were open.
The station was cordoned off and sealed. The station’s quick reaction teams (QRTs) were activated immediately and combing operations continued late into the night. All entry gates of Bathinda cantonment were closed and a police forensic team took samples.
Police were tightlipped on details — especially if the shooting is linked to terrorism. Bathinda SP Ajay Gandhi said the killings are being investigated.
Watch Bathinda firing incident: 4 Jawans killed, gates of military station closed