Soldier arrested by Cops over Bathinda military station shooting: Sources

Mangalore Today News Network / NDTV

New Delhi, April 17, 2023: A soldier was today arrested from Punjab’s Bathinda Military Station in connection with the recent firing incident in which four army personnel were killed in their sleep, Punjab Police sources said. The accused, Army gunner Mohan Desai, confessed to the crime and said he shot his colleagues over personal disputes.

 

Four jawans were on Sunday interrogated in connection with the firing, Punjab Police sources said. Cops had registered a case against two unknown persons on the basis of the statement of Major Ashutosh Shukla, a witness in the firing incident.

The FIR said the four murdered jawans have been identified as Sagar, Kamlesh, Santosh, and Yogesh. They belonged to an artillery unit of the army.

The sensational murder on April 12 had raised questions on security arrangements in the state, especially since it happened amid speculations of retaliation to the massive crackdown on separatist Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh and his outfit ’Waris Punjab Se’. Today’s arrest, however, indicates the tragic incident had nothing to do with the Khalistani leader.

The firing incident initially raised alarms as an INSAS assault rifle and 28 rounds of ammunition, suspected to be the weapon used in the incident, went missing for two days. They were later found by the Army, which suspected some personnel might be behind this incident.

The FIR said the firing was reported at 4:30 am, and some unidentified masked men in kurta-pyjama were seen. One of the men had an INSAS assault rifle, while another carried an axe, it said, adding that they fled towards a jungle near the military station. The four jawans, in their mid-20s, were found in a pool of blood in their rooms.

Sources said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also received a briefing on the incident from Army Chief General Manoj Pandey.