Bathinda military station firing: Punjab Police pick holes in eyewitness account

Soldier claims he saw two unidentified men carrying a rifle and an axe, but autopsy of four jawans does not reveal any sharp-edged weapon injury; ADGP says witness claim being scrutinised as murders are targeted killings

Punjab Police officials investigating the murder of four Indian Army jawans in the high-security Bathinda military station on Wednesday have raised suspicion about the claim of an eyewitness soldier after the autopsy did not suggest any injury mark of a sharp-edged weapon.

Vigil was increased at the Bathinda military station after Wednesday’s murder of four soldiers in the high-security zone. (Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

Investigators reiterated that the killing was not linked to any terrorist activity but a case of fratricide.

According to a first information report (FIR) based on the complaint of Major Ashutosh Shukla from 80 Medium Regiment, a gunner on duty, Demai Mohan, claimed to have spotted two masked men in kurta pyjama after the murders.

Mohan informed Major Shukla after he heard gunshots from the barracks of the jawans near the officers’ mess.

Mohan, the only witness, told his senior officer that one of the unknown assailants was carrying an INSAS rifle, while the other had an axe. After killing the four young soldiers in their sleep, the two assailants disappeared into a forest in the army compound, he claimed.

More than 30 hours after the murders, the army authorities and police are yet to make any arrest.

Additional director general of police (ADGP), Bathinda range, SPS Parmar said on Thursday that the Mohan’s statement raises doubts as the bodies did not bear any injury caused by an axe. “Post-mortem examinations of the four soldiers was conducted at the Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh Civil Hospital in Bathinda city. The autopsy shows multiple gunshot injuries but no visible mark of an axe or any other sharp-edged weapon. The jawan is being questioned as it does not go well why one of the two assailants was carrying an axe when it was not used to attack the soldiers. Moreover, no other person on duty spotted the movement of the men in civvies in the secured campus,” the ADGP said.

The police said that the murder of the four soldiers is being seen as a targeted killing though the motive is yet to be established.

“There is no evidence of involvement of any terror organisation. The secured zone did not report any security breach or attempt of intrusion. There is no doubt that the killings were an incident of fratricide as a terror action could have seen indiscriminate firing and collateral damage, whereas here only four soldiers were targeted,” Parmar said.

He said the stolen INSAS rifle and magazine were found abandoned not far from the crime spot. Several army personnel are being questioned by the police team, led by SP, investigation, Ajay Gandhi for leads.