Bhopal: In a suspected case of fratricide, a jawan of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) on Wednesday shot dead five of his colleagues in a camp of the paramilitary force at Kednar in Chhattisgarh’s south Bastar district of Naray-anpur.
The jawan, identified as constable Masudul Rahman Rahman, opened fire on his colleagues from his service weapon. He also shot himself dead, Bastar police said.
Two ITBP personnel were injured in the incident. They were airlifted to Raipur in Chhattisgarh for treatment.
“Prima facie, it appears the jawan who opened fire on his colleagues was under mental stress. The Narayanpur district superintendent of police has been asked to submit a report on the incident,” Bastar range inspector general of police P.Sunderraj said.
Earlier, the IG had said: “It was not yet clear whether Rahman killed himself or died in retaliation by his colleagues. Weapons of the killed jawans will be checked to ascertain whether they had retaliated or not.”
The camp of 45th battalion of ITBP has been set up at Kednar, falling under Abujhmad area — loosely translated into English as unknown.
ITBP spokesperson Vivek Kumar Pandey said in New Delhi that the jawan killed his colleagues and then shot himself dead, adding that he was not shot by other troops. Abujhmad is considered a Maoist stronghold.
The slain jawans have been identified as head constables Mahendra Singh and Daljit Singh, constables Surjit Sarkar, Biswaroop Mahatoo and Bijeesh.
Those injured in the incident have been identified as S.B. Ullas and Sitaram Doon.
