RPF constable kills senior, held on his way to kill another

The accused believed that the sub inspector was holding back his increment after a department enquiry and that’s why he killed him, say police

Kalyan: A 35-year-old Railway Protection Force constable killed his senior, 56-year-old sub-inspector and was on his way to kill another officer when he was arrested by the Kolsewadi police in Kalyan on Wednesday.

Kalyan, India - February 09, 2023: RPF sub-inspector Basavaraj Garg murdered by his colleague accused RPF jawan Pankaj Yadav in anger. Two years ago, the accused was investigated in a case and action was taken against him, in Kalyan, India, on Thursday, February 09, 2023. (Photo by Pramod Tambe/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

The accused has been identified as Pankaj Yadav 35, posted at RPF station in Roha taluka, Pen, Raigad district. He believed that the sub inspector was holding back his increment after a department enquiry and that’s why he killed him, said police officials.

The deceased has been identified as Basavraj Garg, posted at Kalyan Railway police station. Yadav was serving with Kalyan RPF before he was transferred to Roha. Garg was scheduled to retire in the next two years and lived in the barracks of RPF.

A team worked on technical intelligence and traced Yadav’s location in Roha and arrested him hours before he was planning to leave.

DCP Sachin Gunjal of Kalyan said, “During the interrogation, he revealed that he was about to go to Chiplun in Ratnagiri to kill another police officer, RPF police inspector Barve, who was previously posted in Kalyan.”

The incident took place in the railway barrack when Garg was listening to songs and Yadav reached there and started a heated argument, which later turn into a physical fight and led to the murder, the police said.

“Pankaj Yadav, who is a boxer and a fitness freak, had planned to kill Garg. Pankaj knew the daily routine of RPF personnel. Garg was at the Railway barrack and listening to songs when Yadav reached there and got into a fight. Yadav then hit Garg, on his hands and legs, with a wooden stick. Other RPF personnel rushed to the spot when they heard the commotion and Pankaj warned them not to interfere and later fled from the spot.”

RPF staff then rushed a heavily bleeding Garg to the state-run Rukhmanibai hospital, where he was declared dead before arrival.

Police officials said that in 2020, Yadav and a RPF constable were involved in a quarrel over some petty issue, which led to a fight. The constable had submitted a complaint against Yadav to RPF assistant commissioner police. Garg was then serving as a reader with the ACP’s office managing complaints.

Yadav faced a departmental inquiry and his increment was stopped due to the incident, He was thereafter paid only a basic salary, which upset him deeply as he had married recently. The Kolsewadi police registered a case of murder against him.