Reetesh Ranjan, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who is reported to have killed four of his fellow officers and injured another three on Monday, 8 November, has alleged that some jawans were planning to 'take him out and kill him'.
In the viral video that is doing the rounds on social media, Ranjan can be heard saying, "Some people said, today at five we will finish him off. Take him out and end his game."
Reetesh Ranjan had fired upon his mates in the Lingalapally camp situated in Sukma's Konta block. Reetesh was apprehended soon after and has been sent to jail on judicial remand. However, he shot dead four jawans within minutes in the wee hours of Monday.
This is not the only such case. Chhattisgarh has been witness to a number of fratricide cases in the last couple of years. Between 2019 and 8 November 2021 – 15 people have lost their lives to bullets of their own.
'Yes I Have Killed Them'
In the viral video, Reetesh is also heard accepting the fratricide charges saying that he was continuously being troubled by other jawans of the camp. Reetesh reiterated that he was being troubled and provoked. He also mentioned that people had made it difficult for him to even walk on the road.
"Yes, I have killed them. They used to pass bad comments about my wife. 'Use Kachchi Kali kahte the' (They used to call her a new bud)."Accused CRPF jawan Reetesh Ranjan
"Once I wrote something about my village my country over Facebook and after that everybody picked at me. Is it wrong to even write about village and country?" Reetesh was heard saying on the video.
What the Police Said
Speaking to The Quint , IG Bastar P Sundarraj confirmed that the video doing rounds on social media were those of the accused.
"There wasn't any mental pressure or problem, as per preliminary interrogation. He was supposed to go on leave on 13 November, had talked to his wife a day before this incident. Some pranks by his mates which he held on to were troubling him."P Sundarraj, IG Bastar.
The IG also refuted the claims of people planning Reetesh's murder as the he alleges in the video.
"No such claims of someone planning to kill Reetesh seem to have any merit as of now. However, a professional investigation is being carried out and all factors will be thoroughly investigated."P Sundarraj.
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