Cop shoots self with service revolver in mystery suicide

The incident came to light when assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Tayade of the Special Branch wanted to use the toilet and found the door locked. Tayade returned after a while but still finding it locked, knocked hard. There was no response from inside. This made Tayade peep through a hole in the door, through which he saw a man sprawled on the floor.

This alarmed Tayade, who ran to the control room to inform the officials. A few persons, including Tayade, immediately rushed to the toilet. They broke open the door to find the victim lying in a pool of blood with a bullet injury in his left temple and a revolver lying next to him.

The victim was identified as Chafle by one of the SPU employees.

Senior police officials were informed of the incident, following which Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone II, Dahate, ACP Sunil Phulari and Inspector Bobde of the SPU rushed to the spot. Additional Commissioner Anil Dhere, DCP Crime H R Jadhav, DCP (SB) Bhimrao Raut also arrived. The Sadar police in their preliminary investigations looked around for a possible suicide note, which they felt Chafle might have left. But what they recovered was a small diary in which Chafle had recorded his daily expenses.

Chafle’s body was later sent for postmortem to Mayo Hospital. Meanwhile, the deceased’s relatives were informed about the incident.

On the lookout for clues, senior officials also approached the family and learnt that Chafle was a teetotaler and had no vices. He was also financially sound with a handsome deputation allowance for being in the SPU. His only worry was his three unemployed brothers who lived with him. Officials also learnt that Chafle, who is on the rolls of the district rural police, had been in the SPU since May 1996. Though Chafle belonged to Butibori, his duties with the SPU made him shift his family to Gandhibagh police quarters.

His colleagues said that Chafle had arrived at the SPU office this morning and was in a good mood. He talked to them and later left the office at half past noon. He was supposed to join duty at 2 pm and when he did not reach the office till 3 pm, his colleagues contacted Chafle’s residence and were told that he had left in the morning.

The Sadar Police have registered a case of suicide and further investigations are being done by Inspector Phatak.