New Delhi: The commanding officer of an elite mechanised unit has been stripped of his responsibilities soon after the wife of his second-in-command committed suicide.

The officer, who is of the rank of a Colonel, had been commanding the battalion of an elite mechanised infantry regiment for almost three years and is deployed in the Jodhpur-Jaisalmer desert sector.

“The officer has been removed from command and another officer has been appointed in his place. The new commanding officer was in charge of another battalion of the same regiment,” Army sources confirmed to MyNation.

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The sacking happened soon after the wife of the second-in-command of the battalion who is a lieutenant colonel rank officer committed suicide. However, sources said it is being probed whether there is a direct link between the two incidents. 

In the Army, generally the commanding officer is held responsible for everything that happens in the unit, including the personal activities of the junior officers and jawans. 

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After the Uri attack, the commanding officer and brigade commander of the jawans killed in the attack were punished and removed from command. However, those higher up in the chain were awarded medals for excellent performance in the war zone.

According to sources in the Army, it is now emerging that the commanding officer had entered the house of an officer who was out of station on military duty.

It is learnt that when he came out, he was confronted by other officers of the unit and the matter was reported to the higher-ups. The Colonel of the regiment immediately took the necessary action.