Lady Army officer cremated

Bhopal, June 17 (UNI) The funeral of Army officer Lt Sushmita Chakraborty, who allegedly committed suicide by shooting herself with a guard's gun at the officers mess at Northern Command headquarters at Udhampur on June 15, took place at the Subhash Nagar crematorium here today.

Father P B Chakraborty and younger brother Saptarshi lit the funeral pyre.

The body of Lt Sushmita, accompanied by her mother Sadhana, was brought here last night by the Delhi-Bhopal Indian flight and kept at the EME Centre mortuary for the night. It was handed over to her parents today.

Commissioned in the Army in October 2005, the 25-year-old unmarried daughter of BHEL-Bhopal employee P B Chakraborty was posted in the Army Supply Corps. After two months leave, she resumed the unit only on June 1. She was a postgraduate in Chemistry.

Her family members have sought inquiry by an independent agency into her alleged suicide. She was reportedly depressed as she was not satisfied with her job that required to arrange late night Army parties.

Meanwhile, a report from Jammu said the Army has ordered a high-level inquiry into the cause and circumstances which led to the suicide of Lt Sushmita, who was posted as Platoon Commander with 5071 ASC Battalion.

Denying any harassment at the workplace, Command Brigadier K K Chopra said it was a case of depression. She had earlier undergone counselling by a qualified psychiatrist, he added.

UNI Team-SP MA VV1436