Fight between wives of two Army officers reaches PMO

NEW DELHI: It is a war of a different kind that the Army finds itself in -- and it has embarrassed the military no end. An alleged scuffle between the wives of two officers at a military station in Punjab has landed in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), official sources here said. The two got into an altercation at an event organised by the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) at the military station over a week ago, the sources said. The PMO has sought a report on the incident from the Army headquarters, they added. A senior Army official said the case has embarrassed the Army top brass. Such cases are usually investigated internally, he added. The sources said the fight broke out between the two women when the wife of the Commanding Officer (CO) of the station allegedly abused the spouse of a Lieutenant Colonel. The CO's wife also hit the other woman, they alleged. Several senior officers and their wives were present at the event, the sources said. The Lt Colonel has sent a complaint to the PMO, the Punjab police and the National Human Rights Commission. The sources said the case was also being examined by the Minorities Commission. Wives of Army personnel do not come under the Army Act but the sources said there were many ways of handling such cases. They said counselling sessions are usually held to deal with such incidents.