New Delhi: Four soldiers were killed in the heavily fortified Bathinda Military Station Wednesday in Punjab by two “unidentified men” who attacked them with an INSAS rifle and an axe in the early morning hours.
According to sources in the defence and security establishment, the attack is a likely case of fratricide. They added that all men have been accounted for in the unit, which means that — if it’s a case of fratricide — the suspects have not left the camp.
Army authorities are now focusing on identifying the possible attackers. Punjab Police has denied a terror angle to the attack.
The FIR filed by the Punjab Police states that the four jawans — Sagar Banne, Kamlesh R, Santosh Nagaral and Yogeshkumar J — were asleep in their room after duty when two masked men, wearing white kurta pyjamas, attacked them around 4.35am.
The FIR states that, after the attack, the two suspects ran into the forest area within the military station.
Rifle located?
The defence and security sources said that a search team has recovered an INSAS rifle, along with a magazine.
On Monday, an INSAS rifle had gone missing from the armoury along with a magazine containing 28 rounds.
Sources said that Army personnel recovered 19 empty shells from the spot of the attack. Army and Police joint teams will now conduct a forensic analysis of the recovered weapon.
The South Western Command of the Army said in a statement that a joint investigation with the police is under way. It added that the four victims were of an artillery unit. No other injuries to personnel or loss/damage to property have been reported, it said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was briefed on the situation by Army chief General Manoj Pande.
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