Assistant commandant among 4 CISF personnel killed in J-K’s Kathua

Jammu: Four Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, including an assistant commandant, were killed after a colleague allegedly opened fire in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday evening, officials said.

The incident took place at around 7.30 pm at Sewa-III hydroelectric power project located at Mashka village in Basohli, near the border with Himachal Pradesh, the officials said.

According to preliminary information, the accused, Head Constable Abhidesh Kumar, allegedly resorted to firing from his service rifle following an argument with some of his colleagues.

Four CISF personnel sustained critical injuries in the firing and later succumbed to their injuries at nearby NHPC hospital, the officials said, adding the deceased were identified as Assistant Commandant Ankit Kumar Pandey, Sub-Inspector Lakshman Singh and constables Rafiq Ahmed and Sandeep Kumar.

Following the firing, the accused was overpowered by his colleagues and subsequently arrested. The service weapon used in the incident was also seized as part of the investigation, they said.

The officials said senior CISF and police officers

rushed to the scene and the exact circumstances that led to the argument and the subsequent firing are being ascertained.