INDIA: The Indian army has ordered disciplinary and administrative action against three officers, including the battalion commander of an elite Gurkha regiment, for faking acts of gallantry to grab military awards in the 21,000 feet high northern Siachen glacier bordering Tibet and China.
"Based on certain complaints that enemy killings have been fabricated by one unit in central glacier, a court of inquiry was ordered," the ministry of defence (MoD) declared in New Delhi following the army's court of inquiry.
This conclusively established that some officers from 5/5 Gurkha Rifles had simulated the killing of enemy Pakistani soldiers and the destroying of their bunkers last December.
A video clip of these "kills" and related activity, filmed from a distance, was shown to senior commanders on the basis of which the officers involved were awarded gallantry medals. These were later withdrawn.
"The inquiry blamed Maj Surinder Singh for having faked killings of enemy personnel and the destruction of enemy bunkers. Accordingly, disciplinary action was ordered to be initiated against Maj Singh," the MoD statement said.
Administrative action had also been ordered against battalion commander Col K. D. Singh and another officer.
The MoD's admission followed revelations by the Hindustan Times newspaper that Indian soldiers, posing as dead enemy troops, had shot "hazy videos" of faked battles on the Siachen glacier. The newspaper said Maj Singh videotaped one of his soldiers after he was ordered to pose as a dead Pakistani to add authenticity to the claims.
Maj Singh, who sustained minor injuries in executing the ruse, blew the whistle last December after a disagreement with his commanding officer.
