Date:15/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/15/stories/2006091516960100.htm

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Major shot dead by jawan in Rajouri district

Jammu: A Major was shot dead by a soldier he had rebuked at a forward post in Rajouri district. Major Harsh Kumar, hailing from Jaipur and posted with a Rashtriya Rifles unit, was shot dead by Naik Ravi Kumar at an isolated post in Thanamandi area on Wednesday night, a Defence Ministry spokesman said here.

Fifth such case

This was the fifth case of a soldier shooting a superior in the last two years. The Army has opened two psychiatric counselling centres in the Northern and

Eastern commands to deal with stress-related problems of the personnel. "The Major commanding a unit engaged in counter- insurgency operations had given a dressing down to Kumar, following which Kumar shot him," Army source said.

Inquiry ordered

Kumar was taken into custody and the Army has ordered a court of inquiry into the incident. According to figures tabled in Parliament by the Government, 91 instances of suicides or army personnel shooting their colleagues or superiors have occurred in the past five years.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee had informed Parliament recently that a probe had found that personnel involved in such cases had been were affected by personal, medical, family or leave-related problems. — PTI