Imphal, April 27 2010: Two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) of a Central security force have been gunned down by a Rifleman of the same unit at a Churachandpur district post last afternoon.

Confirming the report, a PIB (DW) statement described the shooting as an unfortunate incident, adding that a Sepoy of the Madras Regiment fired at and killed two senior soldiers of the same regiment at its Khenjang post on April 26 .

Even though sources have conveyed identities of both the deceased duo and the accused sepoy, the PIB statement said, 'respecting the privacy of the bereaved families the names of the deceased soldiers have been withheld'.

Conveying the Army's deep regret at the loss of lives of the two brave soldiers in this senseless act, the statement disclosed that an FIR has been lodged and the individual (accused) handed over to the local police for preliminary investigations.

The Army has also ordered a high level inquiry into the incident and appropriate disciplinary action against the Sepoy will be initiated based on findings of the inquiry, it added.

Meanwhile, a police source said the incident took place at the Khenjang power sub-station post of the 12 Madras Regiment at about 3.30 pm yesterday with the accused Rifleman using his service rifle to mow down his superiors.

The Regiment's post is located at a distance of about 3.5 kilometres from the district headquarters.

The accused jawan was subsequently overpowered by other personnel of Regiment and handed over to the district police this afternoon.

The district police have begun an investigation/ interrogation into the case after registration of a case in Churachandpur police station under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC.

Motive behind the attack could not be officially ascertained at the time of filing this report.

Autopsies on both the corpses have been conducted at RIMS morgue today.

A senior army officer, speaking on condition of anonymity said the Army would initiate its own course of trial against the jawan.

The Churachandpur district incident is the second of its kind to involve Indian army personnel this year, after a sepoy of 17 Assam Rifles massacred six personnel of the same unit, including a JCO at its Awang Kasom post in Ukhrul district on January 21 evening.

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