Four army soldiers were killed in a firing incident early Wednesday morning at an artillery unit in Bathinda that allegedly involved an INSAS assault rifle that was reported missing from the campus earlier. The Punjab Police and the Indian Army, who are conducting a joint probe into the matter, have differing accounts of the incident.
While the Punjab Police termed the killings as fratricide -- a soldier shooting down fellow colleagues -- the Indian Army, in its First Information Report (FIR), said that two unidentified persons, who were in civilian clothes and wearing masks, were behind the attack.
"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 or damage to property have been reported," an Indian Army statement read.
The Army later added that the INSAS rifle allegedly used by the assailants has been located and forensic analysis is being undertaken jointly with the police. Officials also said that no individual has been detained or apprehended yet.
Speaking to reporters, Bathinda's Senior Superintendent of Police Gulneet Singh Khurana termed it as a case of fratricide. "It is not a terror incident. It is an internal issue, it appears to be a fratricidal issue," he told PTI.
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The army has refrained from calling it a fratricide and has said that the area has been sealed off and search operations were in progress. "All aspects, including a possible case of involvement of an INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back, are being ascertained," officials said.
In the FIR, the Army said shots were heard at around 4.30 am on Wednesday near the officers' mess of the 80 Medium Regiment, following which two officers rushed to the spot. They spotted two unidentified persons wearing white kurtas, who had their faces covered with cloth. One of the two was carrying an INSAS rifle while the other had an axe in his hand. On spotting the approaching officers, the duo fled towards a forest located next to the mess area.
The Army complaint added that an INSAS rifle that was reported missing from the unit a few days ago is suspected to have been used for the killings. The four soldiers were apparently killed in their sleep.
"The joint investigation with the Punjab Police is in progress. All possible assistance is being provided," Army officials added.
