KENDRAPARA: A 35-year-old jawan of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)’s Radar Observatory Air Surveillance unit here allegedly shot himself with his service rifle during the wee hours of Sunday.
Police identified the jawan as Raj Sekharan, a native of Tamil Nadu. The incident took place at around 3.30 am when Sekharan was on duty at the facility of the DRDO in Kiyarbanka village within Mahakalpada police limits.
Other jawans spotted Seekharan lying in a pool of blood and rushed him to the district headquarters hospital at Kendrapara where the doctors declared him dead.
Mahakalpada IIC Bimal Kumar Mallik said no suicide note was found on the spot. However, as per preliminary investigation, it seems to be a case of suicide. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the cause of the death.
Police seized Sekharan’s body and sent it for autopsy. The jawan’s rifle was also seized and sent for scientific examination, Mallik added.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)