Earlier today, news came in that Lance Naik Roy Mathew was found dead near Nashik on March 2. Mathew had been one of the sources for a report by The Quint on the controversial buddy system, which The Quint had depicted as exploitative. The report, which included a video featuring Mathew, has been taken offline.

The Army has now issued a statement about Mathew’s death:

“Lance Naik Roy Mathew, a serving soldier in Devlali was reported missing on 25 Feb 2017. From 25 Feb onwards, this individual was declared Absent Without Leave and apprehension roll was registered with the police as per existing orders on the subject till his body was recovered from an abandoned barrack outside the unit lines in Devlali Cantonment.

Preliminary investigations have now revealed that the suicide may be result of a series of events which were triggered by media personnel managing to video-graph the deceased by asking leading questions on his duties as a buddy without his knowledge. It is very likely that the guilt factor of letting down his superiors or conveying false impression to an unknown individual led to take the extreme step.

The identities of the Army personnel involved in the clipping was hidden, and thereby not known to the Army. Hence, there is no question of any enquiry that could have been ordered against the deceased.

Complaint has been lodged with local police and an enquiry has been ordered by Army authorities to investigate the circumstances leading to his death. Army is offering all assistance in this regard to the family of the deceased and the civil administration.”