Army officers and soldiers clash in Meerut, two injured

An altercation during a boxing match led to a clash between officers and soldiers of an Army unit in Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, leaving three personnel including the second-in-command injured.
Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh took serious note of the incident that occurred last evening and ordered expeditious Court of Inquiry and punishment for the guilty. He said there is "zero tolerance" for such acts of indiscipline.
The incident took place in the 10 Sikh Light Infantry regiment during an inter-company boxing match there, sources said here today.
During the clash, a Lt Col, who is the second-in-command of the unit, was injured along with another officer, the sources said. The Lt Col has been hospitalised.

Taking serious view of the incident, the Army Chief told PTI that he has given directions for expeditious inquiry.
"The acts of indiscipline will not be tolerated. There is zero tolerance to such acts of indiscipline," he said.

"I have given directions that the Court of Inquiry should complete its probe at the earliest and ensure that strict action is taken against the defaulting personnel," Gen Singh said.
The Army Headquarters said a Brigadier-level officer has been tasked to conduct a Court of Inquiry into the clash.
The 10 Sikh LI is based in Delhi and is in Meerut's Dobhotua village for practice, Army officials said.

In the last couple of years, the number of clashes between officers and jawans has gone up considerably.
On August 8, 2012, jawans agitated against the commanding officer and certain functionaries of the 16 cavalry unit in Samba, while on May 10-11, 2012, a case of manhandling involving officers and other ranks of the 226 artillery unit took place at the Mahe field firing range in Leh.