Shiromani Akali Dal calls for high-level inquiry into Bathinda military station firing incident

Chandigarh [India], April 13 : Shirom Akali Dal (SAD) leader Prem Singh Chandumajra on Wednesday called for a high-level inquiry into a firing incident in Punjab's Bathinda military station, which claimed the lives of at least four jawans.

"It is a very sad incident. There should be a high-level inquiry into the incident," Prem Singh Chandumajra said in a press conference in Chandigarh.

Punjab Police on Wednesday registered an FIR against two unknown persons in connection with the 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 rooms.

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

Speaking to , Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bathinda, Gulneet Khurana, said on Wednesday, "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.

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

"This morning the news of firing in the army cantonment of Bathinda was received, and it was found that four people died. Top army officers and police officers reached the spot and the investigation is still ongoing," ADGP Parmar said on Wednesday.

Ruling out a terror angle in the incident, the ADGP said, "There is no terror angle in the incident. Two days ago, an FIR was filed at the Cantt police station that a rifle had been stolen. That matter, too, is being investigated. Once the Army shares further details, we will file an FIR on that and the investigation will also be conducted. Since this matter also pertains to the army, it will be separately investigated by them as well."

According to initial reports, the firing at the Bathinda Military Station appeared to be an internal issue since a rifle with ammunition had been missing for the last two days, army sources said.

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 have been 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 received a briefing on the incident from Army Chief General Manoj Pandey.