Army officers, jawans face off again in J&K

[Areesh]

NEW DELHI: The Army has been jolted by yet another shocking breach of discipline with a grim stand-off erupting between officers and jawans of an armoured unit after a soldier committed suicide at a military camp in the border district of Samba in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday morning.

This comes close after officers and jawans of an artillery regiment deployed in the Nyoma sub-district of eastern Ladakh had violently clashed with each other - which left the unit commanding officer, two majors and two jawans grievously injured -- in May.

The incident on Wednesday was triggered when the jawan, Arun V, who hails from Thiruvananthapuram, shot himself with his service rifle in the camp of the 16th Light Cavalry at Samba in the morning. He died on the spot.

Sources said "tension" between the officers and jawans of the 16th Cavalry had been "simmering for quite some time" without any corrective steps being taken. The suicide proved to be the tipping point. "Angry jawans then ganged up to surround the officers and their residences in protest, leading to a prolonged face-off," said a source.

The gravity of the situation and the "complete failure of command and control" was such that senior officers, including the commander of the Yol-based 9 Corps, Lt-General A K Bhalla, rushed to the spot to calm down inflamed tempers. All officers of the 16th Cavalry were subsequently moved out of their residences and attached to different messes as a precautionary move to prevent the trouble from escalating further.

There were even indications that two Army units had been rushed to Samba, which houses a brigade and the armoured regiment, to control the situation. The Army HQ in New Delhi, on being contacted, said a court of inquiry had been ordered into the incident but denied that there was any violent brawl between the officers and jawans.

"There was a suicide but no clash. Yes, the unit officers have been moved to different messes to ensure an impartial probe. The corps commander (Lt-Gen Bhalla) is camping in the area and the situation is under control," said an officer.

All this does not happen if the case is of a simple suicide. Incidentally, defence minister A K Antony on Wednesday told Parliament that as many as 1,018 soldiers had committed suicide since 2003, with the yearly toll regularly climbing over 100. Incidents of fragging (to kill or wound a fellow soldier) have also become a regular phenomenon in the 1.13-million strong Army.

A report by the Defence Institute of Psychological Research had earlier held that "perceived humiliation and harassment, over and above occupational and familial causes", at the hands of their superiors often serves as the final "trigger" for jawans in stress-related cases in the armed forces.

Army officers, jawans face off again in J&K - The Times of India

 

[Rafi]

Army officers, jawans face off again in J&K - The Times of India

worrying signs for the IA - should be nipped in the bud.

 

[RazPaK]

Disarray and disorder among the ranks. Interesting to see that the Indian officers can not keep their men happy and the soldiers cannot maintain discipline.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Disarray and disorder among the ranks. Interesting to see that the Indians can not keep their men happy nor follow discipline.

FFS, show me any insititution in the world that has over 1.2 MILLION+ members that has not a SINGLE case of malise or friction and I'll eat my own shoes.


1-2 incidents mean next to nothing, there is many similar cases in most armies that goes unreported.


+let's not forget these guys are on active frontline deployment and the pressure and stress must be near unbearable.

 

[GORKHALI]

Disarray and disorder among the ranks. Interesting to see that the Indian officers can not keep their men happy and the soldiers cannot maintain discipline.

Look who's Talking arey thodi toh!thodi atleast toh sharm karo.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Look who's Talking arey thodi toh!thodi atleast toh sharm karo.

Mate this thread is purely about IA, if the PA has its own issues there are appropriate places to discuss this on PDF but NOT here. If you don't agree with him try and argue your points and use reason not attack him or his nation just because you don't see eye-eye.

 

[Rafi]

FFS, show me any insititution in the world that has over 1.2 MILLION+ members that has not a SINGLE case of malise or friction and I'll eat my own shoes.


1-2 incidents mean next to nothing, there is many similar cases in most armies that goes unreported.


+let's not forget these guys are on active frontline deployment and the pressure and stress must be near unbearable.

Two incidents with a total failure of command, that is what it is, when you have a virtual mutiny happen - is not that easy to sweep under the carpet, any sort of large scale unrest in a unit - usually takes time to come to the boil, it is total failure of the chain of command, if those issues are not addressed, and the lad who committed suicide with his service rifle, apparently was being used as a domestic servant by the officers wife's. Result a total bloody shambles.

 

[harpoon]

The comment by the reporter itself is self explanatory:

It's a tricky situation for the Army, which is justifiably proud of its highly-disciplined ethos,since such incidents have begun to take place with alarming regularity. The socio-economic-educational gap between officers and jawans has narrowed to a large extent over the last couple of decades, and the latter are not willing to tolerate high-handedness like before.

Its high time we as a 'Socialist' country implement it in Armed forces and stop treating jawans as cr@p . The Colonial mindset of the officers should change.

 

[Jinx1]

FFS, show me any insititution in the world that has over 1.2 MILLION+ members that has not a SINGLE case of malise or friction and I'll eat my own shoes.

1-2 incidents mean next to nothing, there is many similar cases in most armies that goes unreported.

+let's not forget these guys are on active frontline deployment and the pressure and stress must be near unbearable.

Sir,

This is plain damn mutiny and can never be taken as run of the mill daily affair.

If it is taken as run of the mill daily affair, then there is something wrong in a big way.

Such an event should normally lead to disbandment of an army fighting echelon and is indeed a serious affair.

It surprises me indeed if it is taken as normal.

Indian Army is not known for such acts. Yes there could be absentee fellows and other discipline cases - but not a mutiny.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Sir,

This is plain damn mutiny and can never be taken as run of the mill daily affair.

If it is taken as run of the mill daily affair, then there is something wrong in a big way.

Such an event should normally lead to disbandment of an army fighting echelon and is indeed a serious affair.

It surprises me indeed if it is taken as normal.

Indian Army is not known for such acts. Yes there could be absentee fellows and other discipline cases - but not a mutiny.

You are correct sir- this is an EXTREMLY serious event and I have no doubt that the IA will come down on the wrong-doers like a ton of bricks.

 

[harpoon]

You are correct sir- this is an EXTREMLY serious event and I have no doubt that the IA will come down on the wrong-doers like a ton of bricks.

Change the colonial mindset of the officers. More facilities for Jawans. Better interaction b/n Jawans & Officers.Better rotation policy. More leaves if deployed in forward areas. More facilities so as to bring the Jawan's family etc.

 

[Mirza Jatt]

This is sad..but the good point is incidents lik these are not going unreported....looks bad now, but earlier the problems get corrected, earlier the institution will be free of these cases in future.

 

[Rafi]

The most distressing part of this saga, is the apparent use of a serving soldier as a domestic servant, it is understandable in that situation, his honor compromised he took his own life.

 

[harpoon]

The most distressing part of this saga, is the apparent use of a serving soldier as a domestic servant, it is understandable in that situation, his honor compromised he took his own life.

From where you get this info?

 

[COLDHEARTED AVIATOR]

This incident didnt even take place in a field area.If this is a field area then so is Northern Punjab coz this is just 60 kms from Punjab border and not even in Kashmir.

This is a serious issue and i think they will be disbanded like the previous unit which did it in May.

Most people here cant understand..But Sorry its the IA which you are talking about and not a Democracy..If you cant take orders from your seniors...If you do not believe in justice in the Army..Then you obviously dont deserve to wear the olive greeen uniform.

BTW before blamming the officers people need to read the article again and understand that he got a phone call before commiting suicide..Could very well be a family problem..But yeah that doesnt matter..Lets blame the Evil Officers for everything.