A solider recently enlisted as an Agniveer died earlier this week due to a self-inflicted gunshot injury, the Indian Army said on Saturday.
The body of the soldier, Amritpal Singh, was found with a gunshot injury to his head on October 11, according to The Indian Express. His last rites were carried out on Friday.
“In an unfortunate incident, Agniveer Amritpal Singh died while on sentry duty in Rajouri Sector, due to a self inflicted gun shot injury,” the Army said. “Court of Inquiry to ascertain more details is in progress.”
Agniveers are enlisted in the armed forces under the Agnipath short-term recruitment scheme. Under the scheme, citizens aged between 17-and-a-half and 21 years are eligible to apply for a four-year term in the military.
The Army said that as Singh died of a self-inflicted injury, no guard of honour or military funeral was provided in accordance with the policy.
Earlier in the day, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal had questioned why Singh was cremated without a guard of honour. She had remarked that his family had to take his body to his native village in a private ambulance.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed his condolences to Singh’s family. He said that the government would provide the family with all possible assistance.
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