‘Mentally disturbed’ trooper opens fire, kills officer

Kolkata, May 2 (IANS) An Assam Rifles trooper, said to be suffering from “mental issues”, opened fire in his camp in West Bengal’s Howrah on Thursday, killing an officer and injuring two others, police said.

“Lakshmikant Barman, who was on poll duty, fired 13 rounds at the camp in Bagnan. It was recently found that he was not keeping well, and had certain mental issues. So he was kept off duty but he grabbed a gun and opened fire,” Additional Director General of Police, Law and Order, Siddhi Nath Gupta said.

The killed trooper was identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector Bholanath Das, and the injured as troopers Anil Rajbanshi and Rantu Mani, he said, adding Barman has been taken into custody.