Bathinda killings: Court of inquiry to look into 'lapses'

Sukhmeet Bhasin

& Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

Bathinda/New Delhi, April 15

Even as an investigation is underway into the killing of four jawans at the Bathinda military station three days ago, the Army has ordered a court of inquiry (CoI) that will look into multiple aspects and apportion blame, if any. The CoI is separate from the probe being conducted by the Army and the Punjab Police.

The setting up of a CoI is mandated under the Army Act, 1950. If the accused who killed the jawans are from the Army, the CoI can try them for murder. It can even opt to let the Punjab Police prosecute the accused in a civilian court. The four Army jawans of the 80 Medium Regiment of Artillery were shot dead in their sleep inside a barrack at the military station on April 12. In another development, the Army Intelligence Corps has stepped in and is trying to establish the reason behind the killings and the possible killers. The Punjab Police, acting on a complaint of the Army, has been carrying out forensic tests on an INSAS rifle that was stolen on April 9 along with a 28-bullet magazine and recovered from a ditch on the military station premises hours after the killings. It, however, is yet to be ascertained whether the rifle was used for the crime. Fingerprints have been "lifted" from the rifle and are being tested at a forensic laboratory in Mohali.

Among other things, the CoI will probe how the INSAS automatic rifle was stolen from the armoury at the military station and whether there was any dereliction of duty. The 55-sq km military base has multiple units of the Army, including the headquarters of the 10 Corps, and theft of an automatic weapon could prove dangerous.

The CoI will also address the issue of how sentries at the 80 Medium Regiment of Artillery were not carrying rifles. Gunner Desai Mohan, the lone eyewitness who claimed to have seen two killers, could not fire at them. Army officials in New Delhi said at peace stations like Bathinda, sentry guards at the perimeter are fully armed, and not all of those who are inside the stations carry weapons. The CoI will also addressany speculation if a person from outside can enter the military station unchecked.