A Court of Inquiry has been ordered against a major-rank officer who was allegedly involved in firing indiscriminately on his colleagues and throwing grenades inside a camp in Jammu and Kashmir's border district of Rajouri late Thursday evening.
Five army personnel, including three officers, were injured in the firing following by throwing of grenades allegedly by a Major rank officer at the military camp located at Neeli Post in Thanna Mandi of Rajouri district on Thursday. The condition of three of the injured is stated to be serious.
According to sources, the Major rank army officer opened fire on his colleagues without provocation during a shooting practice session on Thursday. Some soldiers were injured in the indiscriminate firing by the accused.
Erring officer took shelter inside armoury
Although higher-ups in the Army have maintained a guarded silence over the incident, reports said that after firing indiscriminately on his subordinate in the shooting range, the accused Army Major rushed to the armoury and took shelter there.
When the commanding officer unit, along with his deputy and medical officer, approached the building in an attempt to persuade him to surrender, he threw grenades.
All three officers were injured when a grenade, hurled by the accused, exploded near them, sources said. The situation remained tense for about eight hours before the accused officer was controlled inside the armoury. As a precautionary measure, the Army has evacuated a village near the armoury.
On 05 Oct 23 one officer was injured in a likely grenade accident at a post in Rajouri sector. Officer evacuated and stable post initial treatment. Further investigation of the incident in progress@adgpi@NorthernComd_IA
— White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) October 5, 2023
Panic gripped as people thought it was a terrorist attack
Panic gripped in the adjoining villages as locals thought that it was a terror attack on the Army Camp. The locals of Rajouri district, which was in the news due to terrorist incidents after repeated intervals, considered it a terrorist attack and started rushing toward their homes.
People remained in their homes for a long time. Later it became clear that this was not a terrorist attack. On the other hand, taking the matter seriously, senior officials from Thannamandi and Romeo Force have reached the spot.
After the incident, a Jammu-based defence spokesperson said, "I have received calls about some firing and terrorist attack on the army camp in General Area Rajouri. I would like to inform you that no terrorist attack has occurred, it is an unfortunate internal incident of the camp."
