[1]Bengaluru: In the first-ever such incident in Bengaluru, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Rajanakunte police station on the city’s outskirts, was shot dead by a constable after an altercation over grant of leave on Sunday.
B.S. Vijay Kumar (37), a promotee sub-inspector, reportedly denied leave to constable Anand Kumar, (38), a national-level volleyball player who was recruited under sports quota.
During the roll call at 9.30 am on Sunday, Anand requested Vijay Kumar for leave. The officer denied him leave, citing staff crunch.
Around 10 am, Anand asked his family to request the SI to grant him leave.
Sources said the SI shouted at the constable for involving his family. The two got into an argument and both spoke about settling the issue by opening fire.The others in the police station took Anand away.
The constable, who was on sentry duty, reportedly resumed work. Around 11 am, when all the other personnel in the station were busy, Anand barged into Vijay’s chamber and opened fire from his .303 service rifle. Two shots hit Vijay on the chest and another went through his head, killing him on the spot. Anand was arrested immediately. The constable was sitting on a chair inside SHO's cabin when they rushed into the room.
Vijay is survived by his wife Soubhagya, son Varshit (11) and daughter Mukta (13).
Senior officials visited the spot and called on the deceased SI's family. “This is the first time such an incident has occurred in the city and it is unfortunate. If the constable had any issues with his senior, he should have sorted it out amicably,“ IGP (Central range) Amar Kumar Pandey said. “The work was assigned to the constable as per the duty roster.It does not seem that he was being unnecessarily harassed,“ he said While the fragging incident at Rajanakunte police station has left the men in khakhi stunned, it has brought to the fore the issue of stress and frustration among the lower ranking police personnel.
The murder accused constable Anand Kumar desperately wanted leave as he was completing the construction of his house at Mattihalli in Chikballapur.
As a last attempt, he had even brought in his family to request the sub-inspector to grant him leave, but the officer declined and even scolded him in front of his family, following which the two had a verbal altercation. According to a senior official, after his family was sent away around 11 am, Anand barged into the station house officer’s chamber and shot at him point blank range.
Though the incident looked like an act committed in a fit of rage, the constable’s frustration seemed to have been building up for some time. The staff at the police station said Anand Kumar had an argument with the SI some time ago also. Further, it is learnt that Anand Kumar was on night duty on January 25 and the next day, he was deployed at a local school for Republic Day security. Again, on Sunday, he was asked to continue on night shift and was even denied leave.
According to sources, Anand Kumar had even called up Circle Inspector Shiva Reddy complaining that he has been denied leave and alleged that Vijay Kumar was harassing him by allotting duties without any consideration.
Reddy had told him that he would come and resolve the issue and advised him to be on duty till he reaches the police station.But, in the meantime, the verbal altercation ensued leading to the constable killing his senior officer.
At the time of the incident there were five police personnel in the station.
Following the incident, senior police officials including Inspector General of Police, Central range, Mr Amar Kumar Pandey, and Rural Superintendent of Police Dr D. Prakash rushed to the spot. Anand Kumar was booked for murder and under the Arms Act.
Even senior officials admit that workload is high in the police station.
“Yes, the workload is high, but it is so in all police stations. We have checked the register. In last week, he had taken three days leave. He may have felt that he was being targeted, but we have seen the roster, the work was being assigned uniformly,” expressed IGP Amar Kumar Pandey. He himself was a constable and will never illtreat anybody. We were supposed to meet in the evening, but never knew such a thing would happen to him Ramesh Babu A constable
HOW IT UNFOLDED
9 am: Sub Inspector B.S. Vijay Kumar arrives at the station from his home in Babusapalya.
9.30 am: During roll call, constable Anand is informed that he has to continue on duty from night shift. SI Vijay declines his leave.
10 am: Constable Anand's family members arrive and request for leave. An altercation ensues between the SI and constable.Other staff intervene and bring the situation under control.
11 am: Constable Anand enters SHO's cabin and shoots him at close range, with his .303 service rifle. Two bullets hit Vijay in the chest, another goes through his head. Vijay dies on the spot.
Family wants thorough probe
Bengaluru: The killing of Sub-Inspector B.S. Vijay Kumar on Sunday morning struck the family like a bolt from the blue. His wife Soubhagya, who fainted on hearing about her husband’s death, is yet to come to terms with the fact.Vijay Kumar’s maternal uncle Kariyappa, who was present at Victoria Hospital along with the entire family and relatives, waiting for the autopsy to be conducted, said “Among all the relatives and cousins, Vijay was a very sincere and honest person since childhood. He was never a troublemaker for his parents as well as the entire family.
He was friendly with all of us as well as in the neighbourhood”.“We really don’t understand how the constable could shoot him. I don’t think Vijay could have done anything wrong or have made the situation so bad that he had to be shot. From what we know, the constable, who shot Vijay, had asked for leave for which he did not grant the permission.
But this is not enough reason for Vijay to die. We want a proper investigation by the authorities”, stated Kariyappa.Vijay Kumar, a resident of Babusapalya, Banaswadi, had joined the service in 2009 and was posted at Ramanagaram. One of his sisters-in-law told DC “It was just two months that Vijay was transferred to Rajankunte. Vijay’s body was taken to Yelahanka Hospital and then shifted to Victoria Hospital for autopsy. I do not know how to console Vijay’s wife and his two children.”
Vijay’s body was taken to Victoria Hospital around 4 pm on Sunday. The body was subjected to an X-ray and after the autopsy, around 6.45, the body was handed over to the relatives, said Dr Dileep, Forensic Medicine Department.
The body was taken to his residence. The funeral will be held on Monday at his village in Channapatna. DG&IGP Lalrokhuma Pachau and City Police Commissioner B.G. Jyothiprakash Mirji visited his residence at Babusapalya to offer condolences.
Home Minister R. Ashok said that he has ordered an enquiry into the incident by ADGP Bipin Gopalkrishna. “Once the enquiry report is submitted, steps will be taken to prevent such incidents. The government will offer compensation to the family of the deceased SI,’’ the Home Minister said.
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