Chandigarh, July 10
An Army NCO has been placed under ‘close arrest’ and action has been recommended against seven others, including an officer, for the alleged murder of two jawans while on duty in their unit in Jammu and Kashmir, it is learnt.
Sources revealed the accused, CHM Parmeshwar Rao of a Rajput battalion, has been attached with 60 Rashtriya Rifles for further disciplinary action. Four others, including two JCOs have been held blameworthy for abetment to suicide and also face disciplinary action. Besides, administrative action has been recommended against a company
commander, a JCO and an NCO for failure to exercise effective command and control.
It has now transpired that action was initiated after the General Officer Commanding 16 Corps, Lt Gen Tej Sapru did not agree with the opinion of the court of inquiry (COI) that the matter be closed as it was a case of an “untraced accused”. He ordered the COI be reviewed, which was done by the same force headquarters which had earlier opined to the contrary.
The revised opinion of the court of inquiry, terming it to be a case of alleged murder, was forwarded to Headquarters 16 Corps a few days ago. Sources said that there was enough prime facie evidence in the COI for the matter to be pursued further.
Two jawans, Nk K.C Tripathi and Jai Ram of a Rajput Regiment located in Ikwan had died on December 27, 2005. They were manning a light machine gun post near the perimeter at night. The accused reportedly had an altercation with Tripathi a few hours before the incident, where the victim had threatened to expose various misdeeds by the accused.
About 50 witnesses were examined by the
COI. The
