Punjab DSP killed in accidental firing

A Punjab Police officer was killed on Monday when he went to an institutional campus in Jaitu town in Punjab's Faridkot district to resolve an issue between students and the local police.

The police said that Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Baljinder Singh Sandhu died from gunshot wounds from his service weapon. He had gone to a Punjabi University college in Jaitu, 255 km from here, to resolve the issue.

Police officials said the incident was that of "accidental fire" by the DSP.

Videos of the incident, shot by some people present on the spot, showed the DSP pointing his pistol at his own head and saying "I will shoot". Within seconds, a gunshot was heard and the officer fell to the ground.

The DSP's gunman was also injured in the incident.

Both were rushed to a government hospital in Faridkot town, around 225 km from here, where Sandhu was declared dead by the doctors.

In the video, just before the DSP shot himself, a student leader is seen making a speech on a loudspeaker mounted on a pedal-rickshaw. As the DSP arrived there, some slogans of "Azadi" were also heard just before the shot was fired.

Local sources said that a tussle was going on between two groups of students on the campus and one group was accusing the local police of favouring the other group of students due to which the matter precipitated.

--IANS

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