SUICIDE OR ACCIDENT ?

Cop kills self at police station

A police constable allegedly committed suicide by his service rifle at Cooch Behar Kotowali police station today. A probe started to reveal whether it was a case of suicide or accidental death.

The constable, Pravas Chhetry (32) joined his duty today at about 1 p.m. Hearing a sound of firing at about 2-45 p.m. policemen and others rushed to the Shiva temple that is situated inside the police station complex. They saw the constable is lying on the portico of the temple in a pool of blood. Immediately he was shifted to Maharaja Jitendra Narayan Hospital where the doctors declared his brought dead. On being informed of the incident senior officials rushed to the spot.

A few policemen at the Kotowali police station said they suspect that Chhetry committed suicide by firing a bullet on his throat that gone through his head. But, no one was available to explain the actual cause of suicide of Pravas Chhetry.

Later, police sources said Chhetry was a resident of Kalimpong in Darjeeling. He joined at Cooch Behar Kotowali police station in 2007. Recently he was reportedly suffering from mental fatigue, as his son was ill at their Kalimpong residence.

The body of the constable have been sent for post-mortem. Police initiated a probe into the matter to know whether it was a case of suicide or death occurred by accidental firing. (END)

PHOTO : A man washes the blood stains from the stairs of the Shiva temple at Kotowali police station. In Cooch Behar on Monday.