Soldier found dead under ‘mysterious circumstances’ in Poonch

The bullet-riddled body of an armyman was found in Draba belt of the district today with police saying the jawan died under “suspicious circumstances”.

An army jawan was found dead with multiple gunshot injuries on his body in Draba area of Poonch district on Thursday morning.

An Indian army soldier patrols near the line of control in Poonch district, about 210 kilometers from Jammu.(AP File Photo)

The deceased has been identified as 24-year-old Sepoy Balraj Singh of the Rashtriya Rifles and a resident of Tarn Taran in Punjab. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

“One jawan has died under suspicious circumstances due to bullet injuries in Draba belt,” Surankote sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Asgar Ali Malik told PTI. He added that the body bore several bullet wounds.

While army has ordered a court of inquiry and police have also initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC, intelligence sources said that on around 4.45 am on Thursday, soldiers heard three to four gunshots inside the army utility in Draba. “All the soldiers rushed towards the area from where they heard gunshots. They found Sepoy Balraj Singh lying in a pool of blood,” they added.

It is a third such instance of a soldier dying with bullet injuries in the past 13 days. On March 5, Army jawan Sepoy Roshan Singh committed suicide by shooting himself with his service weapon while he was on duty in the Krishnagati LoC belt in the district.

On February 25, BSF countable Pramodh Kumar, who was guarding a forward post along the LoC in the district, had committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle.

(with agency inputs)