CRPF cop dies after firing from assault rifle, suicide suspected

LUCKNOW: A head constable of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was killed at Bijnore camp in Sarojininagar area after indiscriminate firing from an AK-47 assault rifle on Saturday afternoon.

Police and CRPF officials said initial investigation suggested that the head constable had shot himself with the rifle after entering the guard room.

Additional superintendent of police (ASP), East, Sarvesh Mishra said head constable Arvind Kumar Singh was presently posted as the mess commander on the Bijnore campus. He said Singh’s body was found lying in the guard room and at least 16 bullet shells of the assault rifle were found on the spot.

Initial probe suggested that the constable had committed suicide with another CRPF personnel’s rifle as he was not issued the weapon due to his mess duty, said Mishra.

The rifle was in auto mode and it would have fired 16 rounds of bullets on single finger press of the constable, he said, adding the constable had suffered multiple bullet wounds and died on the spot.

The ASP said the CCTV footage suggested that the constable reached the guard room while talking over mobile phone.

He parked his bicycle outside and entered the the guard room.

“The bullet staccato was heard only a few seconds after he entered the guard room and another CRPF personnel Hanif was spotted running out of the guard room,” he said .

Mishra said Hanif told the cops that he was sleeping in the guard room after completing his first round of duty.

“Hanif said he woke up after hearing the bullet staccato and came out running. He later re-entered the room and came out with his rifle and clothes,” he said, adding , “The sequence of event suggests that Singh had a spat during the conversation on phone after which he committed suicide on the spur of the moment”.

Inspector general of CRPF, Central Sector, Subhash Chandra said the initial details suggested that the constable had committed suicide but further inquiry in the matter was on.

He said so far it seemed that the constable ended his life due to some personal reasons.

PROBE SUGGESTS THAT THE CONSTABLE HAD COMMITTED SUICIDE WITH ANOTHER CRPF PERSONNEL’S RIFLE AS HE WAS NOT ISSUED THE WEAPON DUE TO HIS MESS DUTY