Two CRPF jawans on Gujarat election killed in firing by colleague

New Delhi, Nov 27: Two jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed while two others were injured after a colleague opened fire following an argument with them on Saturday evening in a village near Porbandar in Gujarat where they were sent on election duty for next month's Gujarat Assembly elections, officials told news agency PTI.

"A jawan opened fire from his assault rifle on his colleagues over some unknown issue on Saturday evening. While two jawans died on the spot, two others were injured. One of them received a bullet injury in his stomach and the other was hit on his leg," the news agency quoted Porbandar Collector and District Election Officer AM Sharma as saying.

The jawans were staying inside a cyclone centre in Tukda Gosa village, which is about 25 km from Porbandar.

The deceased have been identified as jawans Thoiba Singh and Jitendra Singh while the accused is Constable S Inauchashingh, NDTV reported. Constables Chorajit and Rohikana have been injured in the incident. All four belong to Manipur SAP Company, Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB). The shot were fired from AK-47 rifle.

The four jawans were stationed by the Election Commission ahead of the next month's Gujarat Assembly elections, officials said.

They were not active on duty when the incident occurred. It is not clear what led to the clash.

Similar Incidents in Recent Past

In a similar incident in July this year, An Indo-Tibetan Border Police jawan had fired at his three colleagues before shooting himself dead at a camp in the Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials had said.

Constable Bhupendra Singh shot at his colleagues, leading to bullet injuries to a head constable and two constables, as per senior ITBP officer. The injured were admitted to a hospital, and were out of danger, he said.

Singh later shot himself from his INSAS service rifle and he died on the spot.

It may also be recalled that a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel was shot dead while another was injured when their colleague opened fire inside the Indian Museum CISF barrack in Kolkata in August this year.

The accused CISF Head constable AK Mishra opened fire from his AK 47 rifle in the Indian Museum of CISF Barrack situated at Park Street in which CISF Assistant Sub Inspector Ranjit Kumar Sarani, a resident of Orissa died while Assistant Commandant Suvir Ghosh sustained injuries.