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Denied ‘leave’, jawan commits suicide
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, May 28
Even as the defence ministry has liberalised the leave policy for Army troops, a soldier whose leave was not reportedly sanctioned by his higher-ups, allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle here today.

Army sources said Swapnil Badane (21) of Usmanabad district in Maharashtra, posted with the 286 Medium Regiment at the Advanced Landing Ground (ALG), had applied for leave.

Since his higher-ups denied him the same, Swapnil in a fit of rage allegedly shot at himself at the ALG here, the sources added.

“This morning while jawans were undergoing physical training at the ALG, Swapnil pointed his service rifle at his throat. He then fired a bullet which pierced through his head. This happened in the presence of
officers”, the source said.

The jawan was taken to the district hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

A senior Army officer said the jawan, who was unmarried, was working as a clerk and was undergoing better proficiency test.

Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt-Col S.D.Goswami said a court of inquiry had been ordered. Meanwhile, the police has initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the RPC.

“The police after a postmortem examination handed over his body to the Army authorities”, the source said.