Agniveer dies of gunshot injury in J-K’s Rajouri sector

NEW DELHI: An Agniveer recruit died owing to a self-inflicted gunshot injury while being on sentry duty in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri sector, army officials said on Saturday.

“In an unfortunate incident, Agniveer Amritpal Singh died while on sentry duty in Rajouri Sector, due to a self inflicted gunshot injury”, the White Knight Corps said in a post on ‘X’. It added that a Court of Inquiry would be held to ascertain more details on his death which is currently in progress. The death took place on October 11.

https://x.com/Whiteknight_IA/status/1713164449698414850?s=20

The mortal remains of the deceased, accompanied by one Junior Commissioned Officer and four Other Ranks, were transported in a Civil Ambulance hired by the Unit of the Agniveer, the White Knight Corps said, adding that accompanying Army personnel also attended the last rites.

The White Knight Corps, however, said that since the cause of death was a self-inflicted injury, no guard of honour or military funeral was provided, in accordance with the existing policy. “#IndianArmy offers deepest condolences to the bereaved family”, it added.

The Agniveer Scheme was announced in June 2022 for recruitment in the armed forces. The scheme is meant only for recruiting soldiers and not officers in the forces. The soldiers recruited under this Agneepath scheme are known as Agniveers.

Under the scheme, the three services are recruiting youths between the age bracket of 17-and-half years and 21 years for four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years. For 2022, the upper age limit was extended to 23 years. (ANI)