Day after four jawans shot dead, soldier dies by suicide at Bathinda military station

The army said that there is no connection between the two incidents.
Bathinda military station in Punjab where the incidents took place. (Photo | PTI)
Bathinda military station in Punjab where the incidents took place. (Photo | PTI)

CHANDIGARH: Hours after four Indian Army soldiers were killed by unidentified assailants, another soldier reportedly died by suicide inside Bathinda Military Station late on Wednesday evening. The army said that there is no connection between the two incidents.

A statement issued by the South Western command headquartered at Jaipur read, "A soldier died of a gunshot wound at approximately 4:30 PM on April 12 at Bathinda Military Station. The soldier was on sentry duty with his service weapon. The weapon and cartridge case from the same weapon was found next to the soldier. The gunshot wound was near the right temporal region. He was immediately
evacuated to the Military Hospital, but succumbed to his injuries.’’

"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 4:30 AM at Bathinda Military Station,’’ it added.

The Bathinda Cantonment police station has received a complaint in this regard.

As far as the other incident in which four army soldiers were killed. The state police initially claimed that it was an incident of fratricide. The police officials say there was no clarity on the incident yet. "We are hunting the two unidentified masked men who killed the army soldiers,’’ said an official.

Sources in the Army said a court of inquiry will investigate the entire incident in addition to the ongoing investigation by the Punjab Police.

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