Indian Army soldier dies of ‘accidental fire’ in Poonch as dubious deaths rise
Jammu: An Indian Army soldier died of an “accidental fire” at the headquarters of 16 Rashtriya Rifles in Draba, Surankote area of Poonch district, in the early hours of Thursday, amid a growing pattern of suspicious deaths within the Indian armed forces, especially in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, officials said the incident occurred early morning when Naik B.D. Rao of 16 RR (ASC), who was on night duty, was found dead at the post. His body was shifted to Government Sub-District Hospital Surankote for medico-legal formalities.
The death comes as cases of Indian soldiers dying under suspicious circumstances have increased sharply in recent months.
Indian military sources and rights monitors report the fatalities include suicides, cases of fratricide, and internal clashes, all attributed to rising frustration, stress and low morale among troops deployed in the territory.
Observers say the continuous deployment in a hostile environment, coupled with mounting casualties and operational failures, has triggered psychological strain among Indian soldiers, leading to a spike in self-harm and internal violence within army units.
Authorities have ordered an inquiry into the latest incident, though such probes rarely establish accountability or address the underlying causes of distress in the forces.
