Army disciplinary action: court martial for personnel

NEW DELHI, March 26 (Agencies): The Army is going to take strong disciplinary action in the form of court martial against a colonel, two majors, a captain, 17 JCOs (junior commissioned officers) and 147 jawans for the violent clash which took place between officers and jawans of an artillery regiment in Nyoma sector of eastern Ladakh in May 2012.

The Court of Inquiry (CoI), chaired by the deputy chief of the 3 Infantry Division Brigadier Ajay Talwar, has recommended disciplinary action against the 168 personnel of the 226 Field Artillery Regiment, including the unit commanding officer, after finding them prima facie guilty for the face-off, breakdown of discipline, abject failure of command and control, violence and other lapses.

"Around 200 witnesses were examined by the CoI under the 3 Division, which was then submitted to the Ladakh-based 14 Corps for further action," said an official.

The startling free for all in the highly disciplined environs of the Army has sent shock waves down the ranks, especially since it left the unit CO, two majors and two jawans hospitalized with limb fractures, bruises and other injuries, as was earlier reported by TOI.

Overall, around 15 officers and over 100 other ranks are in the dock for four face-offs between officers and jawans that took place in armoured and artillery units deployed in Nyoma, Patiala, Gurdaspur and Samba areas in recent times, which indicate the declining discipline and leadership standards in the 1.13 million-strong force.

In the face-off between officers and jawans in 16th Light Cavalry unit at Samba in J&K last August, the CoI has recommended five soldiers be sacked, while another four will face court martial under "disciplinary action".

On the other hand, three junior commissioned officers (JCOs) are to face "disciplinary action" while four other officers, including the unit commanding officer, will face "administrative action" for the unrest that was triggered after a soldier, Arun V, shot himself with his service rifle on August 8, 2012 in Samba.

While the five jawans are being sacked using the "administrative termination of service" provision in the Army Act, it has also been decided to post 39 other ranks out of the unit.