NUAPADA: A jawan of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) allegedly shot himself dead with his service weapon at a camp in Nuapada on Monday.
He was identified as 49-year-old Ram Pratap, a native of Haryana. Ram was posted at the 216 Battalion CRPF camp at Barkote within Komna police limits.
Sources said the incident took place at around 7 am. The jawan was in his tent when he shot himself with his service rifle. On hearing the gunshot, fellow jawans rushed to the tent and found Ram lying dead. Later, police reached the spot and seized the body.
The exact reason behind the jawan taking the extreme step is yet to be ascertained. Terming the incident unfortunate, Commandant of 216 CRPF Battalion Rajesh Vatsa said Ram’s suicide has left the officers at the camp demoralised. “We have been informed that he was frustrated over some family issues. His body will be handed over to his family after postmortem,” he added.
Komna OIC Manjulata Khadanga said during investigation, police came to know that the deceased had recently lost his wife due to prolonged illness, Besides, the jawan was suffering from some heart ailment due to which he might have been in depression.