SRINAGAR: An army soldier has died under mysterious circumstances at the highly secured Sunjwan military station in Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday. The army has ruled out a terror angle in the soldier’s death.
The soldier, who was deployed on sentry duty at the Sunjwan military station, sustained a critical bullet injury in the morning. He was evacuated to a military hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Initially suspecting a militant attack, the army and police launched a massive search operation in and around the area. Drones and helicopters were also deployed for aerial surveillance.
Security officials suspect that militants might have used a sniper rifle to target the soldier before fleeing the scene. However, the search operation throughout the day yielded no signs of militants, and no suspected militant movement was detected by drones or helicopters, according to defense sources.
In the evening, a Jammu-based defense spokesman stated that initial investigations by the Indian Army suggest the incident was not a terror attack. The cause of the soldier’s death is still under investigation.
When asked whether the soldier might have committed suicide or been shot by someone else within the camp, the spokesman said, “We cannot comment on that as the details are being investigated. The investigation will reveal how the soldier died.”
The Sunjwan military station is the largest army camp in the Jammu region and is heavily guarded.
On February 10, 2018, the station had been attacked by a group of heavily armed Jaish militants, resulting in the deaths of six soldiers, an Army officer, a civilian, and three militants.
Search op showed no sign of militants
Security officials suspect that militants might have used a sniper rifle to target the soldier before fleeing the scene. However, the search operation throughout the day yielded no signs of militants, and no suspected militant movement was detected by drones or helicopters, according to defense sources. The cause of the soldier’s death is still under investigation.