A Dispute, Then Gunfire, CISF Jawan Kills Assistant Commandant and 3 Personnel

An Assistant Commandant of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and three other personnel were killed after a head constable allegedly opened fire at them with an AK 47 following an altercation at a power project in Jammu and Kashmir Kathua district on Tuesday evening. The incident took place at around 6:40 pm at the Sewa Hydel II power project in Mashka village, located in Kathua Basohli area. The four personnel were posted at the project as part of the CISF security deployment. According to a police officer investigating the incident, the accused, Avdesh Kumar Singh, was involved in an argument with his colleagues and company commander Ankit Kumar Pandey shortly before the shooting. Dispute Over Bringing Child to Project Site Police said the argument was reportedly connected to Singh having to frequently bring his child to the project site. Singh and his wife are both employed with the CISF. The disagreement allegedly escalated inside the project premises before Singh opened fire with his service weapon. The firing resulted in the deaths of the Assistant Commandant and three other CISF personnel. The incident has prompted an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the confrontation, including what happened immediately before the shooting and how the argument escalated into the use of lethal force. Police Probe Underway Investigators are examining the sequence of event at the project site and the circumstances surrounding the alleged use of the AK 47. The investigation is also expected to establish the exact nature of the altercation between Singh, his colleagues and the company commander. While police have identified the reported dispute over bringing a child to the project site as a factor preceding the shooting, the complete motive and circumstances behind the alleged killings remain subject to investigation. Four CISF Personnel Killed The deaths of an Assistant Commandant and three other personnel have made the incident a serious security related case. The personnel were deployed at the Sewa Hydel II project, an important power infrastructure site in the region. The incident also raises questions about work place dispute, personnel welfare and the management of tension among armed security personnel deployed at sensitive and remote location. However, the specific reason for the escalation in this case will have to be established through the on going investigation. Authorities are expected to gather statements from witnesses and other personnel present at the project site while examining the circumstances leading up to the shooting. Further details about the investigation, the identities and role of the personnel killed, and the exact sequence of events are expected to emerge as the police inquiry progresse.