Naga paratrooper kills officer, West Bengal policeman

KOLKATA - A Naga paratrooper deployed for anti-Maoist operations in West Bengal’s Purulia district gunned down his superior and a state armed police constable, police said. He was arrested Thursday morning.

“A jawan (paratrooper) of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) Nagaland shot his superior following a heated argument late Wednesday. Hearing the sound of firing inside the camp, another jawan of the state armed police, on duty at the main gate of the camp, rushed inside and was also shot by the Naga jawan,” Purulia Police Superintendent Sunil Chowdhury said.

According to a police officer, the trouble started after the Naga constable fired two rounds in the air without any reason. Hearing the sound, the officer of higher rank came downstairs and asked him not to fire. “But a heated altercation broke out between them. The Naga jawan fired several rounds at the inspector, who was in-charge of the company. He died on the spot.”

“A jawan of constable rank of the state armed police came running but was also fired at. He was rushed to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries,” he added.

Six companies of the IRB from Nagaland were deployed in Purulia for anti-Maoist operations a few months back.