Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Sep 18: A policeman died after his service weapon accidentally went off at the Nizamabad District Police Headquarters in Telangana on Friday.
The deceased was Reserve Inspector H Satish, who was reportedly cleaning his service revolver after completing his duty when the weapon accidentally discharged.
Hearing the gunshot, other police personnel rushed to the spot. Satish, however, succumbed to his injuries before he could be shifted to a hospital.
Police shifted the body to the Government General Hospital for a post-mortem examination. A case has been registered and an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances that led to the accidental firing.
Police initially suspected that Satish had shot himself. However, officials later clarified that the weapon had gone off accidentally.
The incident comes amid concerns in the Telangana Police Department over suicides involving some personnel in recent months.
On World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10, Director General of Police C.V. Anand made a special appeal to the state's 93,000 police personnel, urging them not to resort to suicide to deal with financial or personal problems.
The DGP also cautioned personnel against alcohol, drugs, marijuana and other social vices. He urged them to consider the impact of such a decision on their spouses, children and parents who depend on them.
Anand asked police personnel to face difficulties with courage, share their problems with family members and colleagues, and seek timely help instead of taking an extreme step.
Inquiries into the suicides of two police personnel over the past four months reportedly found debt incurred through online betting to be the primary cause.
The DGP urged personnel to stay away from betting and seek help when facing financial difficulties.
He said it was particularly distressing to see young and middle-aged constables die by suicide after falling into debt through online betting. In the two cases, the personnel had reportedly sold land, borrowed money from friends and colleagues or taken loans at high interest rates.