New Delhi, 12 April (Hindustan Times). Police have registered a case against two unidentified people in the Bathinda Military Station firing case. The INSAS rifle that went missing two days ago with 28 magazines has been recovered by the search team. Joint teams of army and police will now conduct forensic analysis of the weapon to get more details. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has been briefed by Army Chief General Manoj Pandey about the Bathinda Military Station firing incident.
During the firing incident at Bathinda Military Station at 4:35 am today, four soldiers of Artillery Unit MT Santosh, MT Kamlesh, MT Driver Sagarban and Gunner Yogesh Kumar were killed. An FIR has been lodged against two unknown persons in the Bathinda Military Station firing case. According to the FIR, the jawans were sleeping in their room after their duty when two masked men wearing white kurta pyjamas attacked them with rifles and sharp weapons, killing them on the spot. The army has also recovered 19 bullet shells from the spot.
Army Chief General Manoj Pandey has given detailed information to Defense Minister Rajnath Singh about the Bathinda Military Station firing case. An FIR was registered in the case of missing 28 rounds of cartridges along with INSAS rifle two days ago from the military station, which is being further investigated. All aspects including the possibility of the stolen INSAS rifle being used in the incident are being ascertained. This incident of firing took place in the staff barrack. Most of the soldiers posted in this regiment are from South India. The military station at Bathinda Army Cantt houses mostly the families of soldiers and is a residential army base. After this incident, there is an atmosphere of panic in the area. Holiday has been declared in the schools of the cantonment.
The Indian Army has said in a statement that after the Bathinda Military Station firing incident, the search team has recovered an INSAS rifle with a magazine. Joint teams of army and police will now conduct forensic analysis of the weapon to get more details. The remaining number of rounds in the weapon would be available only after forensic analysis. Joint investigation with Punjab Police is on. All possible help is being provided. According to the army, no person has been detained.
