CISF man kills 3 colleagues at Kalpakkam atomic plant

CHENNAI: A CISF head constable killed his immediate senior and two other members of the force after he opened fire with his service rifle at the Madras Atomic Power Station at Kalpakkam, around 90km from Chennai, on Wednesday morning.
Witnesses said Vijay Pratap Singh, 43, of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, reported to work early in the morning and collected his rifle, walked to the first floor of the barracks where CISF head constable Mohan Singh, 57, of Jahangirpur in Rajasthan, was sleeping and shot him dead.
He then walked downstairs to the portico and opened fire at CISF personnel who were preparing for the morning shift, killing assistant sub-inspector R Ganesan, 58, of Thalavaipatti near Salem, and head constable A Subburaj, 54, of Virudhunagar.
Assistant sub-inspector Pratap Singh, 57, of Uttarakhand, and head constable Govardhan Prasad Singh, 42, of Jammu and Kashmir, were injured in the firing, before other members restrained Vijay Singh.
Initial inquiries showed that Vijay Singh may have been under stress. “Vijay Singh’s supervisor Mohan Singh had been harassing him, making complaints about him to officers,” a CISF constable said.
The Kalpakkam police have arrested Vijay Singh.
Police said CISF personnel collect arms and ammunition from the arms storeroom before their shift and surrender them after duty. Vijay Singh was assigned for the morning shift which started at 5am. He collected his 9mm automatic rifle and two magazines with 60 rounds of ammunition.
“He then walked directly to the first floor and killed Mohan Singh, then came downstairs and opened indiscriminate fire on CISF personnel preparing for the morning shift.
Police said Vijay Singh fired 20 rounds before he suddenly put down his rifle his colleagues near the portico. “He appeared to be in shock,” a CISF officer said. “Other men restrained Vijay Singh and detained him in a room before informing police.”
Police seized the rifle and 40 rounds of ammunition from Vijay Singh.
Kancheepuram district superintendent of police C Vijayakumar and senior police officers visited the spot and questioned CISF officers and men. CISF inspector-general of police Shirpad Shiradkar, who is in charge of security at atomic power plants across the country, also arrived and personally questioned witnesses and senior CISF officers.
Sources at Chettinad hospital where the injured have been admitted said Pratap Singh suffered severe injuries in the ribs after a bullet pierced the side of his chest. “The bullet hit his vital organs, causing severe bleeding,” a doctor said. “We performed emergency abdominal surgery him and he is recovering. If needed, we may perform another surgery. Both Pratap Singh and Govardhan Prasad are stable. They will be kept under observation in the intensive care unit for the next two days.”
The bodies of the dead were sent to Chengalpet Government Hospital for autopsy. CISF officers will hand over the bodies to family members on Thursday after the autopsy.
In the room where Mohan Singh was sleeping before Vijay Singh shot him dead, bullets had splintered the cot and wall alongside which it had been placed and fragments of articles caught in the firing by the automatic weapon were strewn around.
A relative of head constable Subburaj, who was killed in the firing, alleged that Vijay Singh had been treated for mental disorders in the past, Selvaraj said. “The officers still allowed him to keep his weapon,” Subburaj’s uncle Selvaraj said.
Police officers and senior CISF officers questioned CISF jawan Vijay Singh separately. A magistrate’s court has remanded him in judicial custody.
(With inputs from Abdullah N and Janani Sampath)