Retd CRPF man shoots himself

Family says he was depressed for long time, cops rule out foul play

A 78-year-old retired commandant with Central Reserve Police Force allegedly shot himself in south Delhi’s Vasant Vihar on Saturday. No suicide note was recovered, police said.

Brij Bhushan Sharma was a resident of DDA flats in Munirka Vihar. He had retired from the force in 1993.

Police said he shot himself in the head in the bathroom of the ground-floor house around 9.30 am.

He used a licensed revolver, which was recovered from the spot by police.When a team of Vasant Vihar police station reached the spot, Bhushan was found lying in a pool of blood.

“Bhushan had a gunshot wound to the right temple and his licensed revolver was lying near the body. He was declared dead on the spot,” said P S Kushwah, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (South).

His family members, including his two sons, were at home when the incident took place. 

They told police that they had rushed to Bhushan’s room on hearing a gunshot.“Bhushan had shot himself after locking himself in the bathroom. Hearing the gunshot, family members broke open the door,” Kushwah added.

As the bathroom was locked from inside, police have ruled out any foul play.

Bhushan’s body was taken to AIIMS for a post-mortem after a crime and forensic team examined the house.

Police later questioned his family members which revealed that he had been showing signs of depression for the last several years.

“An initial probe hints that depression triggered the extreme step, but we are also investigating to find out if there was some other reasons,” another police officer said.It has also been revealed that he was not keeping well for the last few months.

He was suffering from lung infection and had been visibly concerned about his health for some time. He was undergoing treatment at Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj.

The Sharma family had been living in Munirka Vihar since 1989 and Bhushan’s wife had passed away in 2004.

His elder son, who is settled in Nigeria, was also at home. He had come to the capital with his wife and two children on August 4. Bhushan’s younger son is divorced.

Neighbours told Deccan Herald that they did not know much about the family as they rarely interacted with them.

“They preferred to stay isolated,” said Naveen, a neighbour. Bhushan’s body was handed over to the family after the post-mortem on Saturday afternoon.