Armyman dies of gunshot wound in Bathinda, no link to military station firing

Soldier of the army, Laghu Raj Shankar, died of gunshot injuries at the Bathinda Military Station on Wednesday, about 12 hours after four jawans from an artillery unit were killed in a firing incident

BATHINDA

Soldiers checking vehicles near the Cantonment after the firing incident in Bathinda on April 12. (Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

A soldier of the army, Laghu Raj Shankar, died of gunshot injuries at the Bathinda Military Station on Wednesday, about 12 hours after four jawans from an artillery unit were killed in a firing incident.

In release, the army said the death of the soldier has no connection with the firing incident near the officers’ mess.

“The case purportedly seems to be of suicide, said the defence authorities.

“A soldier died of a gunshot wound at approximately 4.30 pm on April 12 at Bathinda Military Station. The soldier was on sentry duty with his service weapon. The weapon and cartridge case from the same weapon was found next to the soldier. The gunshot wound was near the right temporal region,” the statement added.

Shankar was immediately rushed to the military hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries. The soldier had returned from leave on April 11.

Additional director general of police, Bathinda range, SPS Parmar said it could be a case of accidental firing as well.

“There is no connection whatsoever with the incident that took place at Bathinda Military Station in which four jawans died. The jawan was posted on some other campus, away from the spot where four jawans were found dead on Wednesday early morning,” said the ADGP.