Army NCO killed under suspicious circumstances in J

Bhaderwah, Jammu, Feb 5 (UNI) A Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO), deployed in counter-insurgency operations, was found shot dead under suspicious circumstances in an Army camp here in Doda district today, official sources said.

The body of Naik Krishan Kumar of 4 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) was brought from Sarna Army Camp here to the Sub-District Hospital, Bhaderwah, with a bullet wound this morning, sources said.

''Apparently, the bullet seems to have pierced the NCO from the back shoulder and came out from the right chest,'' officials at the hospital told UNI.

Police have registered a case under section 174 of CrPC and started investigation.

When contacted, no comments were made by the Nagrota-based XVI Corps.

However, Defence Ministry spokesman Lt Col S D Goswami, in a statement, said that the soldier had committed suicide by shooting himself. ''Army has instituted a Court of Inquiry (CoI) to probe the incident,'' he added.

The 29-year-old NCO was resident of Chattisgarh state.

UNI XC VJ MSJ RN1506