CISF woman shoots self in airport terminal

KOLKATA: A woman constable with CISF, Lakshmi Biswas, shot herself while on duty at the Kolkata airport passenger terminal late on Wednesday night, triggering concerns over the psychological health of those who carry weapons in high-security zones. Initially, investigators were baffled by the unusual location of the bullet wound - the chest - but found a plausible explanation later.

Lakshmi, 28, had been in CISF for nine years. She had married CISF constable Sushanta Biswas and was posted in Lucknow prior to the transfer to Kolkata airport about a month ago. The couple lived in a rented apartment in Narayanpur next to the airport with their two children, one 5 years old and another 14 months.

It was the sound of a gunshot around 12.30am that alerted CISF personnel. Lakshmi was found next to the frisking and cabin luggage X-ray zone near gate 3A/B in the domestic section of the terminal. Since no departures are scheduled at that hour in this section, it was virtually deserted. International passengers use gate 4A/B and 5A/B for departures.

A two-page suicide note put the onus on a person named Sanjib Das, who had allegedly borrowed around Rs 3 lakh from her around two years ago to start a business, but had since refused to return it.

There, however, are a couple of points that seem to confuse investigators. With the husband-wife duo earning nearly Rs 60,000 a month, the family was not financially stressed. So, it's not yet clear why she was so desperate.

The second factor is the manner in which Lakshmi shot herself. Instead of pointing the pistol to her temple, she had aimed at her chest. With the entry-wound pointed to firing at point-blank, the Kolkata Police homicide department officials couldn't recall a suicide in recent years where someone shot himself or herself in that manner. CISF officers though said it isn't difficult for a well-trained person to take the shot.

Whatever be the reason, the death caused the alarm bell to ring. There have been cases of suicide and killings by airport security persons in the past, a majority of them over denial of leave by the superior officer. Most forces, including CISF, do not have periodic psycholigical evaluation of their personnel.