New Delhi: Bathinda police on Monday detained an Army jawan in connection with the Bathinda Military Station firing incident on Wednesday, in which four jawans were killed. Bathinda Police will hold a press conference at 12.30 pm.
According to sources, the shooter, identified as Mohan Desai, committed the crime for personal reasons.
SSP Gulneet Singh Khurana said that a Punjab Police team was conducting an investigation into the incident. During the interrogation, the accused individual confessed to the crime.
The suspect had stolen a rifle for personal reasons and used it to shoot and kill the four soldiers, police said.
Prior to this, according to Punjab Police, four jawans were interrogated in connection to the incident on Sunday.
Earlier on Wednesday, four Indian army soldiers succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during the firing incident at the military station.
The state police confirmed the incident was a case of ‘fratricide’ and not related to terrorism. Army officials reported that the incident occurred at approximately 4.30 am and that quick reaction teams were immediately dispatched to the scene, where the area was secured.
There has been no arrest or detention so far in the case. As per the FIR, the four jawans — Sagar, Kamlesh, Santosh and Yogesh —were asleep in their room after duty when two masked men in white kurta pyjama attacked them with rifles and sharp-edged weapons. The incident occurred at the 80 Medium Regiment artillery officers' mess.
In a statement to the media, the army said that the jawans belonged to an artillery unit and that no other injuries to personnel or loss/damage to property was reported. The area continues to be sealed off and joint investigations with Punjab Police are being coordinated to establish the facts of the case.
Army said that all aspects including the possible case of involvement of an INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back are being ascertained. It added that the families of jawans killed in the incident are being informed about the loss of lives.
The Bathinda military station is the largest military base in Asia and home to the Indian Army’s headquarters 10 Corps. The pivot 'Chetak' corps is responsible for defending India’s border with Pakistan in south Punjab and north Rajasthan.