Mumbai, Aug 8 (TOI): A railway police constable on patrol duty in a ladies compartment of a Churchgate-bound train shot himself dead with his service rifle early on Sunday.

Commuters alerted the control room on seeing Amar Gaikwad (35) hold the rifle to his chest and pull the trigger after the train left Malad station.

The Churchgate railway police said that Gaikwad was suffering from tuberculosis and would often take leaves. In the last three years, he was on leave for almost one-and-a-half years. The railway police officials added that he had slipped into depression after his wife left him two years ago.

"Gaikwad was living with his mother at the Ghatkopar railway police quarters after his wife left him. His mother told us he was suffering from depression," said an official.

On Saturday night, Gaikwad signed in for duty at Mumbai Central railway police station and was deployed for patrolling in a local train. "Around 5.29am, Gaikwad was found in a pool of blood in the second-class ladies compartment. He was rushed to GT Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival," said deputy commissioner of police Deepak Devraj.

The police have filed a case of accidental death.