Two policemen suspended after guns fail at soldier's last rites

The Haryana government Tuesday ordered the suspension of two police officials after an embarrassing incident in which police personnel were unable to fire their guns properly at the cremation of an Indian Army soldier in the state's Jind.

"ASI (assistant sub-inspector) Dharambir Singh (armourer) and head constable Raj Kumar (in-charge guard) were responsible for issuing wrong ammunition to the 'salami (honour) guard' for cremation ceremony of martyr Kuldeep Singh at Jind Dec 7. A regular departmental enquiry has been ordered against them," a police spokesman said here.

"Apart from this, Lines Officer, Police Lines Jind, Raj Kumar and four constables who were members of the guard, have been deputed to Haryana Police Academy, Madhuban, for further training for a period of one year," he added.

Authorities in Jind had Monday ordered a probe into the incident.

The guns of four out of five Haryana Police personnel had failed to function properly as they were supposed to fire in the air as a mark of respect for Kuldeep Singh, 27, who laid down his life in the recent terrorist strike in Jammu and Kashmir.

The guns not only failed to fire but four of them got jammed with the police personnel trying their best to make them work.

The cremation of the soldier was held Sunday at his native village Kheri Bullah.

Jind Deputy Commissioner Ajit Balaji Joshi had said that action would be taken following an inquiry.

While the guns of the Haryana Police personnel did not work properly, the situation was saved by a team of soldier who fired in the air to show respect to the fallen soldier.