An Army jawan who had figured in a sting operation by a news website criticising the ‘sahayak’ (orderly) system last month was found dead in mysterious conditions in an abandoned barrack in Deolali Cantonment in Maharashtra on Thursday. Roy Mathew, a gunner, was found hanging from the ceiling of a room. Doctors said 33-year-old Mathew, whose body was decomposed, might have died three days ago.

While Army denied having any hand in the death of Roy mathew, Police sources said that the jawan, who had served the Army for around 13 years, was among several jawans in Deolali seen in the video which featured soldiers walking dogs of officers and taking their children to school. The sting operation had sparked an uproar against the British-era sahayak system. Mathew, who had been missing from his artillery unit since February 25, was facing an inquiry after the sting operation was posted online, sources said.

Under the Sahayk system a jawan is expected toserve a commissioned officer. Army is the only service where combatants serve officers.

While the Army has been planning to end the Sahayak system, it has not done yet. According to some experts, all armies are structured units where in you have major, captain, sergeant , lieutenant and then the soldiers. Soldiers are the ones that have to carry out all the tasks. Non-Army tasks are all left for the jawans. It has been a sore point since long with the jawans who join the Army for growth and glory.