Allegedly Denied Leave, Railway Protection Force Constable Shoots Senior Dead With Service Rifle

Shillong:  A constable of the Railway Protection Force or RPF shot his senior officer in South West Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya. Assistant Commandant of the RPF, Mukesh C Tyagi, was shot dead by Constable Arjun Deshwal, at about 11.45 am on Sunday morning following a scuffle, allegedly after the constable was refused leave.

Constable Deshwal fired 13 rounds from his service rifle after the altercation, said the Meghalaya police. Three other RPF personnel - Constable Joginder Kumar, Sub-inspector Om Prakash Yadav and Inspector Pradeep Meena - who suffered bullet injuries, have been taken to the North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Science.

The constable, Arjun Deshwal, has been arrested and his service rifle seized.

The incident took place at the RPF camp in Mawkyrwat, the district headquarters of South West Khasi Hills.

Meghalaya goes to polls on Tuesday, with voting in 59 of 60 assembly constituencies and counting of votes will take place on March 3. Election in Williamnagar has been adjourned after the killing of Nationalist Congress Party candidate, Jonathone Sangma in a blast at Sawilgre area in East Garo Hills district on February 18.

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The newly created South West Khasi Hills district has two constituencies - 35 Ranikor and 36 Mawkyrwat.

"All polling officers have moved with security personnel to their respective polling stations... and each vulnerable and critical polling booth will have six security personnel while each normal booth will have three security personnel along with a home guard," said Meghalaya chief electoral officer FR Kharkongor.