Dozing cop at CPO shoots himself dead

By ASIF CHAUDHRY submitted 20 hours 44 minutes ago LAHORE - A young and newly married policeman, deployed at the main entrance of the Central Police Office, died in hospital in mysterious circumstances late Friday night with three bullet wounds in his chest.
Constable of Punjab Constabulary Rashid Mahmood was on his duty at the Gate No 1 of CPO when this fatal accident took place. All the bullets were fired from his own official gun when he was on his duty.
After the tragic death of the young cop three statements appeared from police on different levels making a simple accidental death a mysterious one.
However, the video clips captured by close circuit camera installed at the entrance of the IGP office revealed the true circumstances leading to the death of the constable. According to the clips, the constable was dozing at the main entry point of the IGP office. As his thumb fell on the trigger of his gun, it went off and released six bullets. Three of them pierced through his chest, later claiming his life. He was immediately removed to the Mayo Hospital. The 25-year-old constable, however, succumbed to his wounds despite receiving 21 blood bags.
The Old Anarkali police officials, however, shared a different story. “According to the crime scene and investigations so far, it seemed that the policeman committed suicide over some family issue”, an Old Anarkali police investigator said.
The officials of the IG office, however, said the incident took place when the victim’s rifle went off accidentally.
The spokesman of the IGP strongly denied the reports about the suicide factor behind the death of the young constable.
Eyewitness of the incident, constable Muhammad Mnshah, told that while the deceased was talking to somebody on his cell phone, his hand suddenly fell on the trigger of his own gun which went off. Resultantly, Rashid sustained three bullet injuries in his chest, he further told the officers.
On the condition of anonymity, a security guard of the IGP Office told The Nation that the cause of the incident was out-dated official guns provided to the Punjab Constabulary personnel for security purpose. He claimed the guns lacked the automatic safety lock. The so-called semi-automatic gun holds up to 20 rounds, he said, but it fired only six rounds when the constable Rashid’s hand fell on the trigger accidentally. Three of the bullets burst his chest while others three hit the boundary wall and the main gate of the IG office. Due to missing safety lock, constables have no choice but to keep the gun loaded all the time even at he risk of their own lives, he said.
Spokesman of IGP said the video clips revealed the gun of the constable went off when his thumb fell on the trigger unintentionally as he was snoozing late night on Friday.