Decorated Assam Rifles JCO commits suicide

Itanagar, Dec 22 (UNI) Junior Commanding Officer (JCO) D B Chetri of the 'D' company of the 23 Assam Rifles committed suicide at Khonsa under Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh, reportedly due to unbearable stress and strain caused by restlessness and prolonged anti-insurgency duty.

Chetri shot himself dead yesterday using his AK 47 service rifle, but left no suicide note, highly placed sources informed today, adding his extreme step had shocked the entire force as he was awarded the DG medal for 30 years' outstanding services and nominated for the President's Award.

The jawans were put to rigorous counter-insurgency operation duty in Tirap district after reduction of an Assam Rifles battalion, reducing the strength to two in the operational areas, the sources said adding, this might have caused excessive mental stress on him during the last few months and might have also prevented him from availing the annual leave.

The bugle sounded 'The last post' and the jawans saluted the hero in sauk shastrsa before the last rites of the JCO was performed at Khonsa battalion headquarters today, albeit in the absence of his family members who are at his native place in Nepal.

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