M A I N   N E W S

Recruit “abused” officer
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 5 — Maj Kuldeep Singh of 14 Gorkha Training Centre, Subathu (Shimla), today contradicted a news item published in The Tribune on August 5 under the heading “Army officers beat up recruit.”

In a statement the Major said the incident had taken place more than a month ago and reporter released the news item without caring to ascertain the facts. Most of the facts stated in this “news item are highly exaggerated without much of truth in it”.

He said notwithstanding the report published in The Tribune, a court of inquiry was ordered and all necessary witnesses had already been recorded. The delay in finalising the court of inquiry had in fact been due to the reluctance on the part of the aggrieved party. The aggrieved party had not been able to produce any other witness before the enquiry in support of their statements. He said till such time the enquiry is completed, no concrete action could be taken on hearsay evidence.

The allegations about insult to the Gorkha community “are baseless and misleading and tantamount to an attempt to create communal disharmony.” The alleged officers have been serving in the Gorkha Regiment for the past eight to 10 years with unblemished record and have high respect for the Gorkha soldiers with whom they have lived and worked during most trying conditions.

He said the preliminary investigations reveal that Recruit Vineet Rana was arrogant, had misbehaved and abused an officer at the STD booth in Subathu on July 1. On being asked to give his identity he gave false name and address. Subsequently after his enrolment when Rect Vineet Rana was asked to explain his misbehaviour at the STD booth, he instead of confessing his mistake, behaved in an arrogant manner and used derogatory language. For this Rect Vineet Rana was advised to mend his ways. In doing so, there may have been some mishandling of the situation by the alleged officers for which they had already been admonished and counselled by the Commandant personally and in writing.