Cop shoots self dead after killing woman, injuring two in Kolkata – The Indian Express

“Two persons, a woman and the policeman, died and two others suffered bullet injuries in the incident,” confirmed Additional Commissioner of Police Praveen Tripathi.

The incident took place under the jurisdiction of Karaya police station around 2:30 pm a few hundred metres away from the Seven-Point Crossing where thousands of people had gathered to protest against the alleged inflammatory remarks made by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, said police.

The on-duty constable — identified as Chodup Lepcha of the Fifth Battalion of the Kolkata Armed Police — fired around 10-15 rounds from his Self-Loading Rifle (SLR) when a bullet hit the woman and she fell off the motorbike she was riding as a pillion and died on the spot due to excessive bleeding, said police.

The constable then shot himself in the neck after firing a few more rounds, they added. The rifle was found lying beside his body. The woman and the constable were rushed to National Medical College and Hospital where doctors proclaimed them dead upon arrival, said police. However, both injured — identified as Mohammad Bashir Alam and Mohammad Sarfaraz —were undergoing treatment at SSKM Hospital and is out of danger, said police.

Police identified the woman as Rima Singh (28) from Dasnagar in Howrah, an art student who was to get married soon. Police said the woman happened to be passing through the area when a bullet struck her. “The bullet pierced her spine,” said an eyewitness.

Police said Lepcha was on leave and had joined duty outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Park Circus on Friday only.

“He started firing indiscriminately and walked along Lower Range to AJC Bose Road-Beckbagan crossing. The incident had no connection with the protest at Seven-Point Crossing,” the officer said.

“We will investigate every aspect of the incident. He (the constable) had recently joined the Kolkata Police. Why he killed himself and opened fire on others will be probed. We will find out whether he was suffering from depression,” said Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal.

According to eyewitnesses, the constable was screaming in the middle of the road, but people thought it was a prank with a fake rifle until his screams become high-pitched and he opened fire.

Arafat Mollah, a local resident, said, “I was feeding a goat when I saw the policeman firing indiscriminately. I ran for cover in a garage.”

“The whole episode lasted for around five minutes,” said a visibly shaken Bablu Sheikh, who claimed to have witnessed the incident.

Collin Street resident Mohammad Bashir Alam was on his way to the office in Newtown, along Lower Range Road, on a bike. As he approached Lower Range No. 13, he heard gunshots. “A bullet hit him, too, but he kept riding for about a kilometre. As he reached Seven Point Crossing in Park Circus, policemen at the intersection spotted him with the bullet injury and he was rushed to National Medical College Hospital. After initial treatment, he was shifted to SSKM Hospital’s Trauma Care Centre. According to hospital sources, Bashir is out of danger,” said a police officer.

—With PTI Inputs