Army Jawan succumbs to gunshot wound in Punjab’s Bhatinda, no link to military station firing

Bathinda (Punjab) [India], April 13 (ANI): An Army jawan died of a gunshot wound after his service weapon went off accidentally in Punjab’s Bathinda, police said on Thursday adding that there is no connection with the Bathinda military station killings a day ago.

The Army said that the incident took place in Bathinda Military Station on Wednesday evening. The Army added that it has “no connection” with the incident that took place at the Bathinda Military Station yesterday in which four jawans succumbed to injuries.

The Army said that the soldier was on sentry duty with his service weapon and the case “purportedly seems to be of attempted suicide”. He was shifted to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

“The weapon and cartridge case from the same weapon was found next to the soldier. He was immediately evacuated to the Military Hospital but succumbed to his injuries,” the Army said.

The soldier had returned from leave on April 11.

“The case purportedly seems to be of attempted suicide. There is no connection whatsoever with the incident that took place at Bathinda Military Station yesterday,” the Army said.

SHO, Bathinda Cantt Police Station said, “An Army jawan died of a bullet injury as his service weapon went off accidentally in Punjab’s Bathinda last night. The deceased jawan has been identified as Laghu Raj Shankar.”

Meanwhile, security was tightened in Talwandi Sabo of Bathinda district in view of the three-day-long Baisakhi mela that began at Damdama Sahib Gurudwara.

“In view of the Baisakhi festival, security arrangements have been made to maintain law and order and to avoid any kind of untoward incident,” DSP Sanjeev Kumar said.

On April 12 incident at the Bathinda Military Station, the army said four army jawans of an artillery unit succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during the incident. According to the statement, no other injuries to personnel or damage to property were reported in the incident.

The army said an INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds were reportedly missing for the past two days and some personnel might be behind this incident.

According to the sources, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also was briefed on the incident by the Army Chief General Manoj Pandey.

Punjab Police on Wednesday registered an FIR against two unknown persons in connection with firing at the Bathinda Military Station.

The FIR was registered on the basis of the statement of Major Ashutosh Shukla, a witness in the firing incident.

Further, as per the FIR, the four slain jawans have been identified as Sagar, Kamlesh, Santosh and Yogesh. They were asleep in their rooms post the end of duty when two masked men, in white kurta pyjamas, attacked them with rifles and sharp-edged weapons. The four jawans were found in a pool of blood in their their rooms.

The police informed that one of the weapons used in the crime was seized.

Speaking to ANI, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bathinda, Gulneet Khurana, said, “Our investigating team carried out a search operation and we seized a weapon used to commit the offence.”

“We can only confirm if this is the same weapon that was stolen from inside the camp once the forensic report is out. The investigation is underway. Bathinda Police is in contact with the Army,” the SSP added.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Bathinda Range Surinder Pal Singh Parmar, ruled out a terror angle in the said incident. (ANI)