Four Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed and three others were injured when a disgruntled constable fired at his colleagues in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Monday.
Constable Reetesh Ranjan opened fire around 3.15 am at a camp of the CRPF’s 50th Battalion in Linganpalli village, some 400 km from Raipur, with an AK-47 assault rifle.
Seven personnel were seriously injured in the incident and were rushed to the Bhadrachalam Hospital where four succumbed to their injuries. The dead were identified as constables Rajmani Kumar Yadav, Rajib Mondal, Dhanji and Dharmendra Kumar. Two among the three seriously injured were airlifted to Raipur for treatment.
Ranjan was overpowered and was questioned. The CRPF has ordered a court of inquiry into the incident.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel expressed grief over the killings and urged officials to take appropriate action so that such an incident is not repeated.
“The motive behind the firing is yet to be ascertained and an investigation is on into the incident,” an official said.
Constable Ranjan was immediately held and his interrogation is underway, he said.
Sukma Superintendent of Police Sunil Sharma told PTI that Ranjan was scheduled to be on sentry duty at the camp from 4 am and after getting ready for it, he allegedly opened fire at his colleagues who were sleeping in a barrack.
“Around 40 to 45 jawans were sleeping inside the barrack at that time. After all the bullets in Ranjan’s rifle got exhausted, he was overpowered and captured by some of his colleagues who woke up on hearing the sound of gunshots,” the official said.
“As per preliminary information, Ranjan and the victims had been exchanging jokes and teasing each other for last two-three days. The accused might have been offended with the teasing and hence, took such a step,” Sharma said.
However, the exact motive behind the incident will be known after an investigation, he said.
Of the deceased jawans, three belonged to Bihar and one was from West Bengal, it said.
CRPF’s inspector general and Sukma’s additional superintendent of police reached the spot, while Bastar IG, Sukma’s collector and Superintendent of Police will also go there, it added.