Woman police, a former Naxal, allegedly kills self in C'garh

A woman police personnel, a former Naxal, allegedly committed suicide byshooting herself at the police community hall in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bastar district, police said today.
'Gopniya Sainik' (secret trooper) Phulo Markam (25) was found lying in a pool of blood late last night at the police community hall in Jagdalpur, Bastar Additional Superintendent of Police Vijay Pandey told PTI over phone.
"Prima facie it appears to be a case of suicide but the investigation is on," he added.
Markam, native of Jiram in Darbha area of Bastar, was earlier a Naxal. She surrendered in 2015 and joined police as 'Gopniya Sainik'.

The surrendered Naxals who join the police as assistant constables and Gopniya Sainiks stay at the police community hall, said ASP Pandey.
Late last night the women personnels were awakened by a gunshot and found Markam lying in a pool of blood.

These troops have been issued SLR weapons as they have to be ready to rush at a short notice on getting information about Naxal movement, the officer said.
Preliminary investigation suggested that Markam shot herself with her service rifle, but probe was on taking into consideration all possibilities, Pandey said.
"The reason behind the incident can be ascertained after the arrival of postmortem report," he added.

Markam was among thewomen commandoswhotook part in an anti-Maoist operation in the Bastar district on September 24 last year in which two ultras were killed.