The Indian Army said in a statement on Monday that an Army personnel detained by Punjab Police in connection with the April 12 firing at the Bathinda Military Station confessed to killing four of his colleagues. According to a statement issued by the South Western Command Headquarters of the Indian Army, after extensive questioning, Gunner Desai Mohan of the Artillery unit where the incident occurred confessed to police his involvement in stealing an INSAS rifle and killing four of his colleagues. Initial investigations suggested that the shooting could have been motivated by personal reasons or animosity.
According to his confession, Mohan stole the weapon and a full magazine in the early morning hours of April 9 and hid them somewhere. On April 12, around 4.30 a.m., while on sentry duty, he moved to the first floor and murdered all four personnel who were sleeping. The rifle was then thrown into a sewage pit by Mohan. According to the Army statement, the weapon and additional ammunition were recovered from the sewage pit.
Desai Mohan’s statement, made while filing the initial FIR on April 12, mentioning two people in a civil dress with an INSAS rifle and an axe, was an attempt to divert the attention of investigating authorities. Mohan is currently in police custody, and more information is being sought.
“There is no terror angle as speculated earlier in some media reports,” said South Western Command Headquarters, Indian Army.
“Indian Army practices zero tolerance to such acts of indiscipline and is committed to ensuring that the guilty will get punished as per law. All possible assistance is being provided to Punjab Police and other agencies for the early conclusion of investigations,” said the Army statement.
In the April 12 firing incident, four Army jawans were killed in their sleep. The four slain jawans have been identified as Sagar, Kamlesh, Santosh, and Yogesh by Punjab Police.
They were sleeping in their rooms after finishing their shifts when two masked men in white kurta pajamas attacked them with rifles and razor-sharp weapons. The four jawans were discovered in their rooms in a pool of blood. One of the weapons used in the crime had been seized, according to the police. Four army personnel from an artillery unit died as a result of gunshot wounds sustained during the incident.
According to the Army statement, no other personnel injuries or property damage were reported as a result of the incident. According to the Army, an INSAS rifle and 28 rounds have been reported missing for the past two days, and some personnel may be responsible for this incident. Following the incident, the area was cordoned off, and the army and Punjab Police conducted a joint investigation to determine the facts of the case. According to sources, Army Chief General Manoj Pandey briefed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the incident.
