Four killed in firing incident at Bathinda military station in Punjab
CHANDIGARH,APR 12: Four people were killed in a firing incident at Bathinda military station in Punjab on Wednesday morning. The Indian Army’s 10 Corps is stationed at Bathinda.
Confirming the incident in a statement, the Southwestern command headquartered at Jaipur said, “The firing incident was reported in the early hours of the morning around 0435 hrs inside the Bathinda Military Station.”
Another statement issued by the command reads thus: “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 is now cordoned off and sealed. Search operations are in progress, the Army stated. Quick Reaction Teams too were activated.
“The area continues to be sealed-off and joint investigations with the Punjab Police are being coordinated to establish the facts of the case,’’ the statement said.
Meanwhile, Additional Director General of Police (Bathinda Range) SPS Parmar said that it seems to be a case of fratricide and that police officers are in touch with military authorities. “It is not a terror attack. It is not an attack from outside,” he said.
Sources said that the firing incident happened near the officer mess of an artillery unit of the Military Station as families are also living in the area.
This military station is also home to a large number of operational Army units and other static establishments.
An INSAS rifle from the unit and some rounds of ammunition had gone missing from the unit premises two days ago. “An inquiry will be ordered in the matter to establish the facts of the case and fix responsibility,” an officer said.
-PTI
