Orissa: Naxalite hand in DIG death ruled out

Bhubaneswar, Oct 24: Capping all speculations, State Home Secretary Tarun Kanti Mishra today ruled out naxalite involvement in gunning down of South Western Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Jaswinder Singh at Badakutinga in Rayagada district yesterday.

Talking to the media here today, he said, "the DIG was killed by accidental firing from a gun of one of the two personal security officers accompanying him." The Home Secretary said the Inspector General of Crime Branch is personally investigating into the case.

He further said police was also investigating under what circumstances did the incident take place and what compelled the guards to open fire.

The two security officers and the driver of the vehicle are already being interrogated at Raigada police station.

The DIG, who was on his way from Sunabeda to Padampur to address a press conference on the arrest and surrender of naxalites,was killed when a bullet hit his head. He was immediately taken to the Rayagada hospital where the doctors declared him ''brought dead''.

Initially the local police attributed the incident as the handiwork of the suspected naxalites and jumped into a conclusion that it was a planned attack on the DIG.

Even the State Home Secretary Tarun Kanti Mishra and Director General of Police Amarananda Pattnaik did not rule out the possible involvement of the left-wing ultras in the killing of Mr Singh.

But in the event of no naxalite outfits claiming to be responsible for the killing of Mr Singh, police started interrogating the two security personnel who accompanied the DIG and the driver as none of them were injured in the shoot out.

EDS: Picking up suitably from earlier series.

UNI

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