Chinkara case: Army men fail to appear for questioning

It is non-cooperation so we are again issuing a second summon to call them tomorrow: officials

The five military personnel booked for killing of three endangered chinkaras today failed to appear for questioning,forest department officials in Barmer said,alleging non-cooperation by the army,which refuted the charge and claimed it had fast tracked its Court of Inquiry.

“We had summoned the five accused armymen for formal questioning today at 9 am at forest office but none of them came…,” Deputy Conservator of Forest BR Bhadu said

“It is non-cooperation so we are again issuing a second summon to call them tomorrow,” he said.

Story continues below this ad

Rejecting the charge,defence spokesperson Colonel S D Goswami said the army has taken up the issue very seriously.

“The CoI is progressing in fast track. The alleged army witnesses are being examined,” he said.

Five personnel of a tank repair unit were booked after heads of three Chinkaras and uncooked meat was recovered from a military camp in Neembla village in Barmer,220 kms from here,on Friday.

Chinkaras are listed in Schedule-I of Indian Wildlife Protection Act.

Story continues below this ad

“During preliminary investigation on Friday,the accused said that they had bought the meat from some villagers but apparently,it was not the case,” a forest department source said.

Goswami said the Army has also requested the state forest officials,who recovered the heads of three chinkaras and their uncooked meat from 88 Armoured Workshop camp,to depose before the CoI.

The 88 Armoured Workshop is to take part in the Operation Sudershan Shakti being conducted by the Bhopal-based 21 Strike Corps.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram