Kolkata, Aug 30,2022:  The family members of an Indian Air Force (IAF) corporal, who died under mysterious circumstances at the Garud Regimental Training Centre (GRTC) at Chandinagar in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, have claimed foul play and demanded a top-level inquiry into the matter.

The body of Corporal Tanmoy Chakraborty (29) of the Air Force Police reached his hometown Sodepur in the northern suburbs of Kolkata on Monday evening.

“My brother, who was in the vigilance wing, seems to have dug up some irregularity for which he was killed. Initially, we were told that he committed suicide but when we started asking questions, the officials claimed that he was killed by somebody. Even in the past, he was targetted for unearthing misdeeds at his workplace. At that time, he was beaten up badly and had bruises all over his body,” said Sandip Pramanik, Chakraborty’s cousin.

According to Pramanik, Chakraborty was in Sodepur and had returned to his base on Saturday only with his wife and child. After collecting his sidearm from the armoury, he was driving in his official Gypsy inside GRTC when he was allegedly waylaid and taken to an isolated spot near the firing range. There, he was shot dead with the pistol he was carrying.

“He just returned after leave and was living with his wife and child. So, there was no cause for depression. He had also said that he will drop by at Sodepur for a short visit in September. We want to know from the officials why he would drive all the way to the firing range to shoot himself. He could have done it anywhere if he wanted to take his own life. His killers chose the firing range as no one would bother if shots are heard from there. It would make it easier for them to escape. We demand an inquiry by officers not attached to the base,” Pramanik said.

Locals at Sodepur were infuriated and some even vent their anger on the Air Force Police personnel who accompanied the body. Slogans were raised and questions were asked which the accompanying airmen couldn’t answer.