On leave, UP ATS officer shoots self
LUCKNOW: A senior police officer of Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) committed suicide here on Tuesday, said officials of his department.
Additional superintendent of police (ASP) Rajesh Sahni shot himself with his official weapon in his office at ATS headquarters in Gomti Nagar, around 12:45pm, said Anand Kumar, additional director general (ADG), law and order, UP.
Kumar said the reason for Sahni’s suicide is still not clear. He was on 10-day leave from Monday, but came to office on Tuesday, Kumar added.
“It gives us immense grief to communicate the unfortunate demise of Rajesh Sahni, Adl SP ATS. He was one of the most promising officers of UP Police. The reasons of his suicide are still being ascertained. Our prayers with the family. May his soul rest in peace (sic),” tweeted OP Singh, UP DGP.
Some colleagues have raised suspicion over his death.
Sahni, 48, was 1992-batch UP Provincial Police Service (PPS) officer and was posted as ASP with the UP ATS since July 2014.
He was handling many high profile cases including one in which a Pithoragarh-resident Ramesh Singh Kanyal was arrested for helping the ISI bug an Indian diplomat’s house in Pakistan.
He also led the encounter against the self-radicalised operational head of an ISIS module in Haji Colony of Kakori, Lucknow on March 7, 2017.
One of his colleagues said Sahni never carried a weapon and got one issued only when was on a field operation.
“On Tuesday, soon after reaching the office, Sahni asked his driver-cum-gunner Manoj Kumar to get issued a pistol for him as he had to go out for some field operation and asked him to bring it in his room,” he added.
DIG, law and order, Praveen Kumar said the case was being examined from all angles. “He was on leave and it will be thoroughly investigated why he came to office. We will also be scanning the call details of his mobile.”
He, however, ruled out the possibility of any another person’s presence in the room in which Sahni committed suicide.
He said Sahni had closed the door while the latch of the second door was found closed from outside. He said the door was opened by DIG, ATS, Joginder Kumar who saw him lying and bleeding profusely.
“A forensic team visited the spot and collected samples as well as other articles in the room. He said no suicide note was found and the statement of the family members will be recorded,” said the DIG.