Madhya Pradesh: Army jawan kills JCO in Katni ordnance factory; goes into hiding

Factory has been sealed so that the accused doesn’t escape; police are using drone cameras to locate the jawan

Updated on: Oct 11, 2020, 13:08:41 IST

Hindustan Times, Bhopal | By Shruti Tomar

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A junior commissioned officer (JCO) of Army posted at an ordnance factory in Katni, 462 km east of Bhopal, was allegedly shot dead by a jawan posted at the same factory after an argument between the two on Saturday evening. The jawan has been hiding somewhere in the factory since, with a rifle and catridges, said police.

“After killing JCO Ashok Shikara, 45, the accused, Sakar Singh, 40, who is from Defence Security Corps (DSC), fired at least five more rounds in the air and threatened the factory personnel around not to come in his way. He has been hiding somewhere in the factory for the past 18 hours and we are trying to nab him,” said Katni’s city superintendent of police Shashikant Shukla.

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He said, “Singh has a rifle and several live cartridges. We have sealed the factory and are trying to nab him. Police are also using drone cameras to locate the jawan.”

“The officers on duty informed the Madhav Nagar police station in Katni late on Saturday that JCO Shikara and Singh had had an argument during the evening parade at around 6 pm. After the parade, Singh fired at least four rounds on Shikara from his service rifle, killing him on the spot. Later, Singh fired at least five shots in air and hid in the factory,” said the officer.

(With inputs from Monika Pandey in Jabalpur)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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