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Four Indian Soldiers killed in Punjab shooting
Four Indian Army personnel were killed in a shooting incident at a military station in the Indian border state of Punjab on Wednesday. The Army confirmed the incident in a statement, adding that a search operation was continuing.
The shootings occurred in the early hours of the morning and an unknown number of shooters were still at large at the base in Bathinda city, according to a defense source who declined to be named. The base has been sealed off and a joint investigation with the local police is underway.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">At least four soldiers were killed in a shooting at a military base in the Indian border state of Punjab, the army said, and a search for the shooters was in progress <a href="https://t.co/L3uRajzpLX">https://t.co/L3uRajzpLX</a> <a href="https://t.co/EicNy7553d">pic.twitter.com/EicNy7553d</a></p>— Reuters (@Reuters) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1646094558285922305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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The Army has indicated that the shooting event occurred in a canteen and that it was not classified as a terrorist attack. Similarly, a senior police official in Punjab, SPS Parmar, has verified that it was not an act of terrorism. Additionally, no further injuries or damage to property have been reported. However, the Army has not disclosed the particulars or the perpetrator of the incident.
The military facility, situated approximately 280km north of the Indian capital city of New Delhi, is primarily a housing complex for military personnel and their families. As per the army’s statement, the firing incident happened at 4:35 am. Footage from ANI news agency, which is associated with Reuters, exhibited roadblocks set up outside the gates of the military station and security personnel stationed at the boundary wall.
The incident comes at a time when Punjab was on a high-security alert a day ahead of Baisakhi, a large Sikh and Hindu festival marking the start of the harvesting season. Indian media reports quoted state police officers as saying that the incident in the Army camp bordering Pakistan did not appear to be a “terror” attack.
In recent weeks, there has been tension in Punjab due to the authorities’ efforts to track down Amritpal Singh, a prominent Sikh separatist preacher. Singh has been advocating for the establishment of Khalistan, a separate homeland for Sikhs, which caused significant bloodshed in Punjab during the 1980s and 1990s. Despite a massive search involving thousands of police officers and a statewide internet blackout that lasted for several days, Singh has yet to be apprehended.
The Army has said that all aspects, including the possible case of involvement of a rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back, are being ascertained. The identity and motives of the attackers are not yet known.
