Fact-check: Four CISF personnel killed in firing at Sewa-II project in Kathua

Four personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) were killed in a firing incident at the Sewa-II Hydroelectric Project

ISLAMABAD/KATHUA: Four personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) were killed in a firing incident at the Sewa-II Hydroelectric Project in Mashka village of Basohli, Kathua, according to reports and statements attributed to local police authorities.

The incident took place on Tuesday evening, September 29, at the CISF camp deployed at the hydropower project. Reports cited in connection with the incident said the firing followed an altercation between colleagues, while the accused CISF personnel was subsequently apprehended by Kathua Police.

The deceased were identified in the reports as Assistant Commandant Ankit Kumar Pandey, Sub-Inspector Lakshman Singh, Constable Rafiq Ahmed and Constable Sandeep Kumar. The accused was identified Head Constable Awadhesh Singh, a 2009-batch person.

Kathua Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mohita Sharma was reported to have confirmed the firing incident, following which senior police officers reached the site. Further investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting is underway.

VIRAL CLAIMS UNDER SCRUTINY

A number of posts circulating on social media have attempted to portray the incident as a communal confrontation, claiming that a Sikh CISF officer deliberately killed Hindu colleagues following alleged harassment of his wife.

However, the information contained in the reports cited for the incident does not establish these claims.

The accused has been identified as Head Constable Awadhesh Singh, while the deceased personnel have been identified by their respective names and ranks. There is currently no established evidence in the material cited that the shooting was motivated by the religious identities of the personnel involved.

Similarly, the claim concerning alleged harassment of the accused’s wife has not been established through an official statement cited in the available reporting. Reports instead describe an argument or altercation among colleagues before the firing.

Therefore, the alleged family-related motive should not be treated as an established fact unless confirmed by investigators or an authorised official source.

INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY

The incident is being investigated by the relevant authorities to determine the circumstances that led to the firing and establish the exact motive.

At this stage, descriptions such as “fratricide” refer to violence involving members of the same security force. Such terminology describes the nature of the incident but does not by itself establish the motive behind the shooting.

The investigation is expected to examine the sequence of events, the reported altercation, the circumstances surrounding the use of the firearm and any other evidence available to authorities.

FACT-CHECK

The firing incident and deaths of four CISF personnel have been reported, while the more specific social-media narrative alleging a Sikh-versus-Hindu attack and linking the shooting to harassment of the accused’s wife has not been established by the official information cited in the available reports.

Until investigators release further findings, claims about the motive or any communal connection should be treated with caution.

The case remains under investigation, and any criminal responsibility will ultimately be determined through the relevant legal process.