Srinagar: Soon after reports emerged that a territorial Army man was shot dead in Pulwama, the Army on Wednesday said that the slain never took oath as a soldier.

A defence spokesman said that the slain was enrolled on Jan 15 2018 in Territorial Army (TA) and went to JAKLI Regimental Center on 21 Mar 2018.

He, however, said that Naik went on three days leave on 14 Sep 2018 but he never returned. “He was declared deserter on 17 September 2018,” he said.

The spokesman further said that technically, after being declared deserter during training, he is a civilian. “We have no ex-recruit,” he added. (KNO)