Bringing child to workplace may have triggered J&K fratricide that killed 4 CISF personnel

Police and CISF are probing the shooting, while two versions of events suggest the child’s presence at the sensitive workplace was a factor in the dispute.

The argument that led to a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) head constable shooting dead four of his colleagues apparently concerned the presence of his child at their workplace, a hydropower project near the border in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua , people familiar with the matter said.

CISF will conduct an internal inquiry to examine the work environment and ensure that such incidents are not repeated. (@CISFHQrs X) (Representative Image)

While police and CISF are still investigating the trigger for the incident -- a DIG rank officer from Delhi has reached Kathua -- multiple versions that have emerged so far converge on the child being a factor. According to one version, an officer said, the head constable, Avdesh Kumar, brought his child to work at the Sewa Hydel Power project in Kathua on Tuesday evening, which led to the argument with his company commander and three colleagues.

Kumar opened fire with his AK-47 rifle, shooting down company commander(assistant commandant) Ankit Kumar Pandey, constables Rafiq Ahmed and Sandeep Kumar, and sub-inspector Lakshman Singh. The four were taken to hospital but died of their injuries. Other colleagues overpowered Kumar and handed him over to police.

Another version of events indicated that Kumar’s wife, Pooja, also a CISF head constable and posted at the same project, brought the child to work. This led the company commander and other colleagues to complain against bringing a child to work at the sensitive location, an officer said. The couple worked in different shifts assigned by the company commander.

“The shots were fired when the shift was changing. Some colleagues said Pooja came to the project with their child. They live in the CISF quarters in the same complex,” another officer said.

This officer said even as the police are probing the incident, CISF will conduct an internal inquiry to examine the work environment and ensure that such incidents are not repeated. “The DIG(intelligence) will file a report and submit it to the Delhi headquarters,” this officer said.

CISF personnel on some of the force’s toughest and most stressful assignments—including those on duty at Parliament House and commandos engaged in high-level VIP security—have to undergo specialised psychometric assessments to identify psychological stress, people familiar with the matter said. The force is also training in-house staff to recognise behavioural changes and signs of stress among colleagues to facilitate timely intervention. Four days before Tuesday’s fratricide incident, this was among a series of decisions taken by the top brass in New Delhi for the mental well-being of its personnel.

Deep Dive

What led to the shooting incident involving CISF personnel in Kathua?

Why is the CISF conducting an internal inquiry after the fratricidal incident?

How does the CISF address psychological stress among its personnel?

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Another version of events indicated that Kumar’s wife, Pooja, also a CISF head constable and posted at the same project, brought the child to work. This led the company commander and other colleagues to complain against bringing a child to work at the sensitive location, an officer said. The couple worked in different shifts assigned by the company commander.

“The shots were fired when the shift was changing. Some colleagues said Pooja came to the project with their child. They live in the CISF quarters in the same complex,” another officer said.

This officer said even as the police are probing the incident, CISF will conduct an internal inquiry to examine the work environment and ensure that such incidents are not repeated. “The DIG(intelligence) will file a report and submit it to the Delhi headquarters,” this officer said.

CISF personnel on some of the force’s toughest and most stressful assignments—including those on duty at Parliament House and commandos engaged in high-level VIP security—have to undergo specialised psychometric assessments to identify psychological stress, people familiar with the matter said. The force is also training in-house staff to recognise behavioural changes and signs of stress among colleagues to facilitate timely intervention. Four days before Tuesday’s fratricide incident, this was among a series of decisions taken by the top brass in New Delhi for the mental well-being of its personnel.