Army Smashes Soldiers’ Phones as They Watch, ‘Enforces’ Discipline

Indian troops along the LAC with China were also asked to delete certain apps, in fear of online espionage attempts.

Indian Army smashes mobile phones of 50 soldiers to curb social media usage pic.twitter.com/G3XPDjteMc

— Lone aamir kashmiri (@b5ffeef3c9af495) December 16, 2017

Several army centres across the country have taken to smashing the cellphones of recruits while they watch, to enforce discipline among the ranks and make it clear to them that any violation of the rules will not be tolerated, reports Times of India (TOI).

The report bases its statements on a video that resurfaced on social media and had even featured on the China Global Television Network website on Friday, which showed two officers smashing the phones of about 50 recruits with rocks and stones, as they looked on.

The Army is all about discipline, which is critical in the face of enemy. Recruits cannot flout discipline with impunity. The recruits are usually let off with a warning at first. Their phones are confiscated for some days if they continue to disobey orders.

A senior officer told TOI

Speaking about how the officers were compelled to take such a drastic measures in order to enforce discipline, he added: “The Army trains its soldiers for war. If they are allowed the latitude to disobey in peace, they could do the same during war,” the TOI report adds.

Although the video was reportedly filmed in September, officials confirmed to TOI that several more instances of the officers smashing the cellphones of the recruits have taken place.

The report adds that the recruits at the Mahar Regimental Centre are ordered to leave their cellphones with the respective "platoon havaldars" and only take them in rare cases, as and when required. The officers, however, told TOI that the centre had made provisions for setting up STD booths, so recruits could use them to call their families.

In most regiments and establishments across the country, the Army does not allow smartphones which contain cameras for a score of security reasons.

Earlier, Naik Kathi Resan of 19 Madras, had fired upon and killed a young officer, Major Shikar Thapa, after he was reprimanded for using his cellphone while on duty in a forward post near the Line of Control in Jammu, reports TOI.

Earlier, the reports adds, Indian troops stationed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China were asked to delete apps like WeChat, Truecaller, Weibo, UC Browser and UC News from their phone, in fear of online espionage attempts from across the border.