The Hindu : Front Page : "Bullet from PSO's pistol killed Singh"

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006
ePaper

Front Page

Front Page

"Bullet from PSO's pistol killed Singh"

Prafulla Das

DGP rules out involvement of naxalites

BHUBANESWAR: In a clear shift, the Orissa Government said on Tuesday that Deputy Inspector-General of Police Jaswinder Singh, who was said to have been killed by suspected Maoists in Rayagada district on Monday, had fallen victim to the bullet of his personal security officer.

Director-General of Police Amarananda Patnaik told presspersons here that the DIG was hit by a bullet fired from the 9 mm pistol held by one of the two security officers who were accompanying the officer in a Bolero jeep.

The two PSOs were interrogated and it was revealed that a total of two bullets were fired. One of the bullets was fired from the pistol held by PSO Seshananda Sarangi. The second bullet was fired by the other PSO A.K. Sarangi from his AK-47 rifle.

"After the bullet fired from the gun of Seshananda Sarangi hit Singh, another bullet was fired by A.K. Sarangi to cover up the incident," Mr. Patnaik said. The Director-General said that both PSOs had been arrested and charged with murder. The police driver, who drove the vehicle, has been detained.

"The entire matter will be investigated by the Crime Branch to ascertain whether the firing was accidental or deliberate," Mr. Patnaik said, while completely ruling out the involvement of naxalites in the whole episode.

The body of the slain officer, who was in charge of the State's naxal-infested South-Western Range, has been sent to his native place, Hoshiarpur in Punjab.

The incident occurred around noon on Monday when the 1990 batch Indian Police Service officer was travelling from Sunabeda in Koraput district to Padmapur in Rayagada.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page