Killer PAC jawan arrested

Varanasi, June 28 (UNI) A Provincial Arms Constabulary (PAC) jawan, who had shot dead two of his colleagues in the adjoining Chandauli district on Sunday, was arrested from Naugarh forest late last night, police today said.

An INSAS rifle he fled with, has also been recovered, Chandauli police superintendent R K Chaturvedi today said.

Lakshman Ram, a jawan of the H company of 26th PAC Batallion, was held from Deori village under naxal infested Naugarh late last night.

On interrogation, Lakshman, a native of Ballia district and undergoing mental treatment in Ranchi (Jharkhand) since 2000, confessed he had committed the crime out of an unfounded fear from colleagues.

''The incident is a likely result of extreme fear psychosism, for which Lakshman was being treated,'' Mr Chaturvedi added.

Following the incident, the 26th PAC Batallion posted in the naxal infested Naugarh region had been replaced by the 12th Batallion.

The accused had opened fire in the PAC camp in Aurwatand area killing Uttar Pradesh Armed Police personnel Daya Ram Yadav and PAC jawan Jogindar Prasad on the spot, besides wounding three other PAC jawans.

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