Ishrat Jahan Case: Constable part of Vanzara, Pandey’s security attempts suicide

The Ranip police said a case of attempt to suicide has been registered under Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code.

A Lok Rakshak Dal constable posted as part of Z+ security provided to IPS officers PP Pandey and DG Vanzara, accussed in the Ishrat Jahan encounter case attempted suicide for unknown reasons on Thursday with his service rifle at the Sabarmati Central Jail.

However the bullet was not shot from his rifle and the constable Baldev Amtah Rabari, posted in ‘F9’ company of the Ahmedabad police headquarters, managed to escape. The prison department that officially spoke about the case on Friday, claimed that they had nothing to do with case and have urged the Ahmedabad police headquarters to conduct inquiry.

The incident occurred on Februray 27, when the guards were sitting under a tree near Gandhi Yard close to Sardar Yard. Baldev reported to work but did not talk to anyone at the yard. He reportedly straight away went inside a room and loaded his rifle with 10 rounds of cartridge. He came rushing out of the room opposite the Gandhi yard to shoot himself but his fellow constable Ravindrakumar snatched the rifle from his hand.

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As per the FIR registered with the Ranip police station by a fellow guard at the jail, Baldev who was visibly upset, suddenly aimed his service rifle ADC A/164 keeping the rifle on ground and pressed the trigger. The incident left his colleagues scared and they raised an alarm.

The Ranip police said a case of attempt to suicide has been registered under Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code.

The sources said when Ravindrakumar went to report the matter to the higher officials in Sabarmati Central Jail, they asked him to keep mum. Only after four to five hours of the incident, the prisons department asked Ravindra to register the FIR.

Superintendent (Jails) R S Bhagora said, “He was posted in Z+ security provided to P P Pandey and D G Vanzara. We don’t monitor them directly since they come from the city headquarters and therefore inquiry is initiated by them. But as per our knowledge, there were no fights or arguments in the jail which triggered the incident.”

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Meanwhile, the city police has ordered a separate inquiry into the case.

Ahmedabad city police headquarters (in-charge) JCP HG Patel said, “We have been informed about the suicide incident only this morning… An inquiry has been ordered to figure out what prompted the constable to take such an extreme step.”

The Ranip police said that Baldev was asked to report back to the city police headquarters and he will be questioned in detail.

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