Full Breakdown
CISF Fratricide Incident at Sewa Hydel Project in Kathua District
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Core Event: Shooting Among CISF Personnel
On September 29, a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawan opened fire on colleagues at the Sewa 2 hydroelectric power project in the Mashka area of Basohli, Kathua district, Jammu and Kashmir. The gunfire resulted in the deaths of four personnel, including an Assistant Commandant, a Sub-Inspector and two constables. The shooter was apprehended at the scene and handed over to police.
Background & Context
The Sewa 2 (also reported as Sewa-III) project is a hydro-electric facility on the Sewa River, a tributary of the Ravi, situated near the Jammu-Kashmir–Himachal Pradesh border. CISF units are routinely deployed to guard such critical infrastructure in the region.
Data & Statistics
- Fatalities: 4 CISF personnel.
- Ranks of the deceased (as reported): Assistant Commandant Ankit Kumar Pandey; Sub-Inspector Lakshman Singh (also spelled Laxman Singh); Constable Rafiq Ahmed (also spelled Rafiq Ahmad); Constable Sandeep Kumar (also spelled Sanjeev Kumar).
- Alleged shooter: Head Constable Avdesh Kumar Singh (also reported as Abhidesh Singh).
- Weapon used: Service-issued AK-47 rifle, reportedly loaded with 150 rounds.
- Time of incident: Reported as around 6:40 pm, 7 pm, and 7:10 pm in different accounts.
Official Statements & Responses
Kathua Senior Superintendent of Police Mohita Sharma stated that the firing followed an altercation among the CISF personnel deployed at the Sewa-III power project. The Director General of CISF has been monitoring the probe, and CISF headquarters ordered a Court of Inquiry to determine the sequence of events. The Kathua district police have taken custody of the accused and are conducting a separate investigation. An internal CISF inquiry has also been announced.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Names of the deceased: Sources differ on the spelling of two constables (Rafiq Ahmed vs. Rafiq Ahmad; Sandeep Kumar vs. Sanjeev Kumar).
- Shooter’s identity: The accused is identified as Head Constable Avdesh Kumar Singh in some reports and as Abhidesh Singh in others.
- Exact time of the shooting: Reported times range from 6:40 pm to 7:10 pm.
- Project designation: The facility is referred to as Sewa 2, Sewa-III, and simply the Sewa Project across sources.
These discrepancies highlight the early stage of the investigation and the reliance on multiple official briefings.
Timeline
- September 29 (evening): Argument erupts among CISF personnel at the Sewa 2/III hydro project.
- Approximately 7 pm: One jawan fires indiscriminately with an AK-47, killing four colleagues.
- Shortly thereafter: Victims are transported to an NHPC hospital in Himachal Pradesh, where they later die.
- Following the incident: Police secure the site, arrest the shooter, and launch investigations; CISF orders a Court of Inquiry and announces an internal probe.
What’s Next
The Court of Inquiry ordered by CISF headquarters will examine the circumstances that led to the shooting. Parallel investigations by the Kathua district police and the internal CISF inquiry are expected to produce detailed findings and recommendations for preventing similar incidents in the future.