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Lady officer goes missing from military hospital
Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 21
In an unusual incident, a lady officer has now gone “missing” from a military hospital in Jammu where she had been admitted for the past few days. The Army is terming it to be a case of absent without leave (AWOL) and a signal to this effect has been received at Army Headquarters, New Delhi, it is learnt. Such signals are received by the Adjutant General’s Branch under the head of “untoward incident”.

The incident occurred today. The Army initiated an AWOL report when the mandatory six hours had elapsed after there was no indication as to her whereabouts.

The officer, a lieutenant, is posted with an Electronics and Mechanical Engineers battalion in the Rajouri sector. Sources said that she is married to an Army officer who is posted somewhere in the north-east.

According to information made available by sources, the officer had been admitted to hospital as she was suffering from viral fever. A few days earlier, she received a message that her grandmother was unwell and she asked for leave. Her request was turned down on the grounds that her medical condition did not permit her to be discharged from the hospital.

Later, she received another message that her mother was also unwell and, sources said, this probably prompted her to move out on her own. The matter has been reported up the chain of command by the hospital authorities as well as the unit and formations concerned.

Under provisions of the Army Act, a court of inquiry can be assembled to investigate into the matter when a person has remained absent without due authority for a period of 30 days. Under Section 106 (b) of the Act, if the person declared absent does not afterwards surrender or is not apprehended, he/she shall be deemed to be a deserter.