The killing of an Army jawan in a fake encounter yesterday by the Bihar police is fast snowballing into a political row.The Rabri Devi government is unhappy over the military funeral given to the jawan, Amitesh Kumar Sharma, of the Patiala-based 14 Guards. He was shot by the police at Balipakad, 80 km from Patna, while on leave and when he was going to a bank. The police version is that he was a ‘deserter’ which could be their alibi.But the Defence Ministry, under Samata Party MP George Fernandes, is keen that the military should come out clearly that Sharma was gunned down in a fake encounter. Fernandes is expected to visit Bihar on February 9 and is likely to meet the victim’s family.The Army today ordered an inquiry into the killing of Sharma. Headed by a Lieutenant Colonel, the inquiry will look into the circumstances in which the jawan was shot dead as well as consider the financial dues owed by the Army to the victim’s family.‘‘He was a soldier and he was on leave. He is one of our own and we will look into the circumstances of his death to settle the financial aspect,’’ said Sub-Area Commander Brigadier K Samantha. ‘‘We will have to see what help is to be given to the wife and child,’’ he added.Sharma, who took part in Operation Parakram last year, was inducted into the 14 Guards in July 1999. He was on leave from his unit till November 26, 2002.However, as Amitesh did not report for duty that day, the Commanding Officer of 14 Guards issued an ‘‘apprehension roll’’ around December 15, 2002. The ‘‘apprehension roll’’ empowers the local police to apprehend any jawan who is absent without leave and hand him over to the local Army formation.The Bihar Police is now trying to take refuge in the argument that Sharma was on ‘‘apprehension roll’’ and was thus an Army deserter. The police would have you believe that he was gunned down since he was resisting arrest. The Army gave a military funeral to Amitesh Sharma that day as he was a soldier and no court of inquiry had been set up to try him for not reporting for duty. This was a virtual indictment of the police that didn’t go down well with the Rabri government.Meanwhile, the father of the jawan, Avdesh Sharma, today said he wanted his grandson to become an jawan, just like his father. ‘‘I want my grandson to grow up and join the Army. That is the only thing I want now,’’ he said and added, ‘‘and for this I want help.’’ He says that whenever Amitesh and Shashi Ranjan, his other son who is a technician in the Air Force, went off to dangerous postings, he always prayed that they should do the country proud. He said he was happy that his son was cremated with full military honours. ‘‘The burden on my heart eased when my son was cremated with military honours and draped in the tricolour,’’ he said.According to Army officials in Patna, the 14th Guards regiment in Patiala is on the move and details are being sought about the 23-year-old Sharma.
