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Two Agniveers killed as shell explodes during firing exercise in Maharashtra's Nashik
Police have registered a case of accidental death.
Two ‘Agniveers’ were killed in a shell explosion during a firing practice at the Artillery School in Maharashtra's Nashik, police said on Friday.
“The shell from an Indian field gun exploded at the centre in the Nashik Road area on Thursday afternoon,” PTI quoted a police officer as saying.
“A team of Agniveers was firing the field gun when one of the shells exploded. Two among them sustained injuries and were rushed to the Military Hospital in Deolali where they were pronounced dead,” he said.
The deceased were identified as Gohil Vishwaraj Singh (20) and Saifat Shit (21), both Gunners. The had come from Hyderabad for training, India Today reported, adding that a court of inquiry (CoI) has been set up to ascertain the exact cause of the incident.
“Unfortunately true. The training accident happened yesterday and it is being investigated,” a statement from the army read.
Police have registered a case of accidental death on a complaint by Havildar Ajit Kumar and a further probe is on.
Who are ‘Agniveers’?
The Indian Armed Forces induct ‘Agniveers’ under the ‘Agnipath’ scheme, rolled out in June 2022. The recruits serve a four-year tenure: training for six months and deployment for the remaining 3.5 years (42 months). At the end of the tenure, not more than 25% of Agniveers in an outgoing batch are selected for the permanent cadre.
Also Read | Around one lakh Agniveers enrolled by army till now, says top officer
The opposition, particularly Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, now the Leader of Opposition, has repeatedly claimed Agniveers do not get the same benefits a regular officer or jawan does, a charge the ruling BJP rejects.
The Centre and BJP-ruled states have set aside jobs, in central and state services, respectively, for Agniveers who retire at the end of their four years.
