Three CISF personnel shot dead by colleague at Kalpakkam

A CISF head constable today shot dead his three colleagues attached to the Kalpakkam nuclear complex and injured two others at the paramilitary's camp here.

The accused, Head Constable Vijay Prathap Singh (45), allegedly opened fire with a 9mm carbine and killed Assistant Sub-Inspector Ganesan and head constables Subburaj and Mohansingh at the CRPF barracks in Kalpakkam township, about 10 km away from the nuclear complex, according to police.

Operations at the nuclear complex were not affected, officials said.
The incident occurred at the CISF barracks in Kalpakkam township when the troops were gathering for a morning roll call and it was not clear what provoked the attack.

"Three CISF personnel have been killed. The incident happened around 5.30 AM," C Vijaya Kumar, Kancheepuram Superintendent of Police told PTI, adding an inquiry was on.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Prathap Singh and head constable Govardhan Singh sustained major injuries and are being being treated at a hospital, police said.

"This is a disconcerting incident which has happened after a long time in our force. Senior officers have been rushed to the unit and we are cooperating in the police investigation," Central Industrial Security Force Director General Arvind Ranjan said in Delhi.

Singh, a native of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, has been arrested and is being questioned by the police.

Officials said there were no immediate details about Singh's interaction with other personnel or his state of mind since the previous night which could throw light on why he went into a shooting spree as soon as the weapon was issued to him this morning.

CISF officials said the accused went into a state of shock after the incident and is barely speaking.
"He was quite experienced and had a 24-year service in the force since he joined in 1990. He had moved to this nuclear unit only last year on promotion as a Head Constable," CISF spokesperson at Delhi headquarters Hemendra Singh said.

Asked whether operations at the nuclear complex were affected due to the incident, Madras Atomic Power Station Director T J Koteeswaran told PTI, "The incident happened some 10 km away in the township and so operations were not affected. I am awaiting more information on the incident."

This incident, of a soldier killing his own colleagues in uniform, has occurred almost after a decade in the paramilitary which is deployed across the country for securing critical national infrastructure including this facility.