BSF jawan shoots dead two colleagues near Indo-Bangladesh border, surrenders

A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan allegedly shot dead two of his colleagues in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district early on Tuesday morning. BSF Constable Uttam Sutradhar shot dead Battalion Commandant Mahendra Singh Bhatti and Constable Anuj Kumar following a scuffle, the police said.

The incident took place in Bhatun village near the India-Bangladesh border in Raiganj police station area, they said. The two personnel were declared brought dead when taken to a local hospital.

After shooting his colleagues, Sutradhar surrendered before his senior. He is now in police custody. They didn’t have any differences and the actual cause of the incident is yet to be ascertained. An enquiry has also been ordered into the incident.

An official statement read, "On the intervening night of 03/04 Aug 2020, Ct Uttam Sutradhar of 146 Bn BSF deployed at BOP Maldakhand was performing ACP first shift duty on Indo-Bangladesh Border. At about 032350 hrs, Ct Uttam Sutradhar fired 02 Rounds in the air from his service rifle. On listening to the sound of firing Inspector Mahendra Singh Bhatti (Coy 2IC) who was patrolling in the nearby area immediately rushed towards the spot along with Ct Anuj Kumar."

It added, "On this, Ct Uttam Sutradhar opened fire upon Inspector Mahendra Singh Bhatti and Ct Anuj Kumar in which both of them died on the spot. Thereafter, Coy Comdr arrived at the spot and continuously tried to persuade him to surrender. At about 0305 hrs, Ct Uttam Sutradhar surrendered himself before the Coy Comdr. Victims neither had any quarrel nor scuffle with the accused. The actual cause of firing will be ascertained after the conduct of the enquiry."