Life sentence of CISF constable who shot down 3 colleagues set aside

HC orders that the constable, who committed the crime at Kalpakkam, be shifted to a mental hospital in Bareilly

October 30, 2021 01:36 am | Updated 01:36 am IST - CHENNAI

The Madras High Court has set aside the conviction and life sentence imposed on Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) head constable Vijay Pratap Singh, who shot down three of his colleagues with a machine gun at Kalpakkam Atomic Power Plant in 2014. The court ordered that he be shifted to a mental hospital in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, since he suffered from schizophrenia and auditory hallucinations.

Justices P.N. Prakash and R.N. Manjula passed the orders while disposing of an appeal preferred by him in 2018 against the conviction and punishment imposed by a Sessions Court in Chengalpattu. The judges felt that it would be better if the appellant was treated in his home State and said the authorities in Uttar Pradesh could take a call on letting him go with his family as and when the latter takes out an application.

The judges expressed surprise over the CISF brass not having known about the mental illness suffered by Mr. Singh, who, according to the Director of Institute of Mental Health in Kilpauk, turns violent when he is not on medication. His family had claimed that he used to skip medication because he felt sleepy whenever he took the pills and therefore could not concentrate on his work due to frequent change in the shifts.

“Oblivious of this fact, they have allowed him to bear firearms, resulting in the loss of three precious lives and injuries to two,” the Bench lamented and recorded the submission of the CISF that even his buddy pair was not aware of the illness.

Delivering the verdict, Justice Prakash said: “It is true that none would easily accept that he has some mental illness and requires treatment. People will normally go on a denial mode.”

Taking note that the families of the three victims alone had been paid ex-gratia of ₹10 lakh and nothing was paid to the two injured CISF personnel, the judges ordered payment of ₹3 lakh each to the three widows from State government’s victim compensation scheme and ₹2 lakh each to the injured. The court made a recommendation to the Centre to sanction extraordinary family pension to the families of the deceased.

The judges recorded their appreciation for CISF inspector Shoba for exhibiting extraordinary courage by confronting the appellant when he was on a killing spree on October 8, 2014 and ordering him to put down his weapons. The judges were convinced that he was suffering from mental illness by taking note that he had opened fire even on a colleague who was sleeping and meekly succumbed to the Inspector when she confronted him.

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