In a tragic turn of events, a 55-year-old Border Security Force (BSF) constable was fatally shot by a fellow officer during a quarrel late Saturday night in Samserganj, located in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district. The victim, Ratan Lal Singh, originally from Rajasthan, succumbed to his injuries shortly after being rushed to the Jangipur sub-divisional hospital, where medical staff were unable to stem the bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds inflicted on his abdomen.
Police reports indicate that the shooter, 29-year-old Shivam Kumar Mishra from Chhattisgarh, allegedly discharged 13 rounds from his service weapon, with several shots hitting Singh fatally. It is believed that the confrontation began over a disagreement regarding leave that Singh denied to Mishra, who wished to visit his pregnant wife. In a fit of rage, Mishra purportedly switched his rifle to burst mode and opened fire during their duty hours.
Following the incident, the BSF’s South Bengal Frontier immediately alerted local authorities. Mishra was apprehended by Samserganj police in the early hours of Sunday morning. A formal complaint filed by BSF officials led to a case being registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on charges of murder. Mishra, who had been with the force for four years, was presented before the Jangipur court and is now in judicial custody.
N. K. Pandey, a spokesperson for the BSF, has confirmed the incident but refrained from providing additional details, citing an ongoing investigation.
The tragic shooting took place while the BSF’s 119th battalion was conducting patrol duty in the Paharghati area, a region that has been under heightened security since April due to communal disturbances related to protests against the amended Waqf Act. Central paramilitary forces, including the BSF, continue to operate in the area under orders from the Calcutta High Court.
