KATHUA, October 1, 2026 – Emerging details from the shocking fratricide incident at the Sewa-III hydroelectric power project in Kathua reveal that a bitter dispute over bringing a toddler to the high-security workplace drove a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawan to murder four of his colleagues. Police investigations have disclosed that Head Constable Avdesh Kumar Singh fired 18 rounds from his service AK-47 assault rifle in a fit of rage on Tuesday evening, killing Assistant Commandant Ankit Kumar Pandey, Sub-Inspector Lakshman Singh, and Constables Rafiq Ahmed and Sandeep Kumar. The devastating incident occurred at the project site located in Mashka village in Basohli, near the Himachal Pradesh border.
According to investigating officers, the tragic escalation was the result of brewing tensions between the accused and the unit administration over childcare logistics. Both Avdesh Kumar Singh and his wife, Head Constable Pooja Devi, were posted at the same project site but assigned to different duty shifts. Due to their conflicting schedules, the couple routinely brought their toddler to the workplace to hand the child over to the spouse returning home. The unit administration had repeatedly objected to this practice, specifically denying permission for Devi to enter or stay in the Quarter Guard area with the child while Singh was on duty. The situation reached a boiling point on Tuesday when a formal complaint was lodged with Company Commander Assistant Commandant Ankit Kumar Pandey regarding the child’s presence on the premises.
Enraged by the complaint and the ensuing altercation, Singh stormed into the Operations Section office near the main gate and opened indiscriminate fire on his superiors and colleagues. Following the bloodbath, other CISF personnel managed to overpower and arrest Singh, seizing his service weapon. Authorities noted that Singh was carrying 150 rounds of ammunition at the time of his arrest, averting what could have been a far greater tragedy. The four critically injured personnel were rushed across the border to an NHPC hospital in Himachal Pradesh, where they succumbed to their injuries. A comprehensive inquiry is now underway to examine the administrative lapses and psychological triggers that led to one of the deadliest internal security incidents in the region.
Published by True Roots Media Network