Army admits firing at 'suspect', issue raised in Assembly

Chair directs CS, DGP to take up issue with Corps Commanders

JAMMU: A day after The News Now exclusively reported about high alert at Nagrota garrisons following suspicious movement, the Army today officially admitted that a person sustained bullet injuries after he didn't respond on being repeatedly challenged.
Issue of gunshot wounds to an individual in army firing was raised inside the State Legislative Assembly today when local MLA from Nagrota, Devender Singh Rana alleged that army is becoming so hyper in Jammu and sounds extra alertness for locals, which makes situation more terrible for society.
It is worth mentioning here that the News Now had published in Tuesday's edition that a suspect was held in Nagrota by army after an alert sounded in the army area on Monday late evening and an army jawan on Sentry duty also fired few rounds, in which the suspect also wounded.
MLA Devender Rana said in the Assembly, "After Nov 29, terror attack army is becoming extra alert and this resulted into the yesterday's incident in which a local has been injured in army's firing." He demanded that the state government should take up the matter with the senior army officials and take it seriously.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker, Naseer Gurezi, who was on the chair instructed the state government that the state Chief Secretary and DGP should take up the matter with the Corps Commander of 16 Corps (White Knight Corps).
After this the army, which was tight lipped in the apprehension of a 'suspect', who was termed as a local resident by the MLA Nagrota, issued an official press note through the PRO Defence Jammu and detailed the entire episode.
The PRO Defence, Jammu, Lt Col Manish Mehta informed that on the night of Jan 16-17, an unidentified man was found moving suspiciously near the fence of the Nagrota Army Camp along the banks of River Tawi.
"The alert sentry challenged the person as per the standard operating procedure. The person did not respond to the challenge, crossed the boundary fence and started running towards the camp. On not responding to the repeated challenges, the sentry opened fire thereby injuring the individual," the written statement said.
Subsequently, a Quick Reaction Team (QRT) team approached the individual, administered first aid and shifted him to the nearest military hospital. The police have been informed and FIR lodged.
It is pertinent to mention here that the area where the individual was found lurking is far away from any road and habitation. Investigation is being carried out to identify and ascertain the antecedents of the individual.