In Bathinda firing that killed four, weapon found, shooter at large

Four people were killed in a firing incident at Bathinda military station in Punjab on Wednesday morning. A search team has located the INSAS rifle along with the magazine, the Indian Army said.

The Army and Police joint teams will now be undertaking forensic analysis of the weapon for ascertaining further details. "The balance number of rounds in the weapon will only be available after forensic analysis," the statement stated.

However, the Army reiterated that no individual has been detained or apprehended.

Earlier, the Army released a statement confirming the death of four jawans in the incident and said no other injuries or loss of property was reported.

"Four army jawans of an artillery unit succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during the firing incident at Bathinda Military Station. No other injuries to personnel or loss/damage to property were reported.

The area continues to be sealed off and joint investigations with Punjab Police are being coordinated to establish the facts of the case. All aspects including the possible case of involvement of an INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back are being ascertained," the Indian army said.

Meanwhile, the area continues to be sealed off and joint investigations with the Punjab Police are being coordinated to establish facts of the case, it added.

It said all aspects of the incident, including the possible involvement of a missing INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds, are being ascertained.

Earlier in the day, the Army said the incident took place at around 4:30 am and that it deployed quick reaction teams and cordoned off the area.

Punjab's Additional Director General of Police, SPS Parmar told news agency PTI over phone, ''It is not a terrorist attack, it is not an attack from outside. It is a fratricidal incident''. ''We are in touch with the Army authorities,'' he said.

Bathinda's Senior Superintendent of Police, Gulneet Singh Khurana told the media in Bathinda, ''It is not a terror incident. It is an internal issue, it appears to be fratricidal issue. Our investigation teams have reached inside (military station) with all forensic equipment and they are conducting investigations. In-depth investigations are going on''.

The Ministry of Defence and Army Headquarters, police and sister agencies have been intimated about the incident.

Bhatinda is an important military installation.It houses the headquarters of the 10 Corps, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Jaipur-based South Western Command. It is also home to a large number of operational Army units and other static establishments.