Rear Admiral S.S. Jamwal, Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command, Kochi, was killed in a mysterious firing incident on Wednesday morning. The Navy was initially tight-lipped about the incident but later Commodore M.R. Ajay Kumar, naval officer in charge of Kerala, told mediapersons that Jamwal, 51, was killed when a pistol he was handling at the firing range misfired and a bullet entered his head.
“He was checking a pistol and unfortunately the muzzle was facing him,” said Cmdre Ajay Kumar. “Suddenly it misfired. If you are not careful it can happen.”
Cmdre Ajay Kumar denied speculation that the rear admiral was depressed and had committed suicide. “Anybody who met him would say that he was a lively, energetic and happy man,” said Cmdre Kumar. “If a commanding officer wants to commit suicide, why should he go to a firing range? It is just media speculation.”
Navy sources said, “There is a possibility that the pistol could have jammed. The court of inquiry will investigate the tragic incident.” According to the Navy, the rear admiral reached INS Dronacharya, the Navy’s gunnery school, in the morning. The incident happened at around 10.30 am. Though he was immediately rushed to a hospital, doctors declared him dead. The police registered a case and will conduct a post-mortem Thursday before handing over the body to the Navy.