Firing inside Bhatinda military camp leaves four dead

Four persons have died in firing at a military station in Punjab's Bhatinda in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the South Western Command of the Indian Army said.

Reports said that station quick reaction teams have been activated. The area has been cordoned off and sealed. Search teams were pressed into action and the operation is underway. The Punjab police and Indian Army are conducting joint operations.

The incident took place at around 4.35 am inside the military station, the Army also said. A forensic team of the Bathinda Police have visited the military station and are coordinating with the Army and carrying out investigations.

Television reports said that two armed shooters are on the loose in the camp. 1 rifle and two magazines had gone missing from the camp two days back, reports also said. The shooter is reportedly said to be in civilian clothes, reports also said.

The firing is said to have taken place inside the officers' mess and all four who died were from the 80 Medium Regiment.

ADGP SPS Parmar said that the incident looks like an internal issue and has nothing to do from outside. However we are looking into it and are working in close coordination with the Army, he also said. He further added, " it is not a terrorist attack. It is not an an attack from outside, it is a fratricidal incident," he also said.

The incident would be investigated by a court of inquiry, officials said.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh has been briefed about the incident. The Army has already given its version to the incident and says that further details would be shared by evening. "We cannot share more details than this," Lt. Colonel Amitabh, PRO South Western Command, Jaipur said.

Meanwhile all entry gates of the Army Cantt in Bhatinda had been closed.

Bathinda SSP Gulneet Khurana said that initial reports suggest that an Army soldier possible opened fire. He however said that it was not a terror attack.

"Firing incident reported in the early hours of the morning around 0435h inside Bathinda Military Station. Station Quick Reaction Teams were activated. Area was cordoned off and sealed. Search operations, are in progress. Four Fatal casualties reported. Further details being ascertained," the Army said in a statement.

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.