Soldier’s death still bewilders
A second autopsy on a soldier found dead on New Year’s Eve has failed to prove conclusively that he committed suicide, while the defense minister said Saturday that a special help line for troubled conscripts had received more than 2,500 calls over the last two years. The body of conscript Dimitris Souras, 21, was found near his camp in the northeastern region of Evros. An initial autopsy suggested that he killed himself. His family refused to accept the verdict, claiming he was murdered. They demanded that his body be exhumed so a second autopsy could be conducted. Chief Athens coroner Philippos Koutsaftis led a second team of experts, who confirmed late Friday that Souras died from a bullet to the head and showed no signs of struggle. The coroners could not explain why Souras’s body bore a number of scratches. They said forensic tests might reveal more information. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Spilios Spiliotopoulos said more resources had been allocated to a telephone line providing psychological support to soldiers.
