Killers remain at large as probe intensifies into Bhatinda firing incident

The shooters involved in the Bhatinda Military camp firing in which four persons were killed are yet to be nabbed.

Four Indian Army jawans were killed while they were sleeping in their barracks at the military station. Several theories are doing the rounds as the killers are yet to be identified. The Punjab Police and the Indian Army have ruled out a terror angle.

The forces have managed to recover a stolen INSAS automatic rifle which is suspected to be used in the incident. The weapons and 19 empty shells of INSAS which were recovered have been sent for forensic examination. The rifle along with a magazine of 28 bulletrs had been stolen from the station armoury on April 9, reports say.

An FIR has been lodged by the Army with the Bhatinda police and a case under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered. The Arms Act too has been invoked in this case.

This who died have been identified as Gunners Sagar Banne, Karnalesh R , Yogesh Kumar J and Santosh M Nagaral. All are from the 80 Medium Regiment Artillery. The first three jawans were drivers of the specialised vehicles that pull artillery guns.

The incident took place inside the barrack behind the officers' mess of the Regiment at around 4.30 am. The camp is spread across 55 sq kilometres and has several regiments. Each of these regiments have a guard room, sentry post and is walled. Two persons in civvies carried out the shooting, Superintendent of Police (Investigation), Bathinda, Ajay Gandhi said.

In the FIR the police have mentioned that the two accused were wearing a kurta-pyjama and their faces were covered with a cloth. After the incident, the duo are said to have escaped into the forest area. A search operation is underway to nab the accused.

The FIR says that Gunners Yogesh Kumar and Sagar Banne, after doing their guard duty went to their rooms on the first floor of the barrack. The other two Gunners Santosh and Karnalesh were sleeping in the adjoining room.

A jawan alerted his unit officer about the firing. He said that unknown persons were seen coming out from the barrack and one of them was carrying an INSAS rifle, while the other had a sharp edged weapon in his hand.

Following the incident, the South Western Command said, "as per the information we have got so far, it is clear that it is not a terrorist attack. We are in touch with the Army authorities and the matter is under investigation." No other injuries to personnel or loss or damage to property have been reported."