Amritsar killings: Accused BSF jawan from K’taka was concerned about repayment of loan, say officials

A BSF jawan who allegedly killed four of his colleagues before fatally turning the gun on himself at a camp in Amritsar had recently taken a loan and was reportedly concerned about it and his family, the officials conducting an internal inquiry into the incident have found.

A team of officers from the Border Security Force (BSF) has left to meet the family of Constable Satteppa S K (35), who hailed from Karnataka, in order to probe the sequence of events, officials said.

The jawan is survived by his wife and two young children.

Officials privy to the court of inquiry being conducted into the Sunday shootout that took place in Amritsar’s Khasa area along the India-Pakistan border said Satteppa had taken a loan and was paying EMIs (equated monthly installments).

He was probably concerned over this issue, they added.

The force is also looking at the statements made by his family members, where they reportedly said Satteppa was suffering from mental health issues. They are trying to ascertain if the jawan or his family members had made any request to his superior officers for granting him leave or for some other help. Talking to reporters on Sunday, BSF Inspector General (Punjab) Asif Jalal had denied that Satteppa had an enmity with anyone or that there were any duty-related issues.

Satteppa, who was admitted to a hospital on Saturday night after he said he was feeling unwell, got his service weapon issued from the armoury and began shooting indiscriminately inside the camp of the 144th battalion, killing four, and a probable ”ricochet” claimed his life too.

He also fired a few rounds at a government SUV of a senior officer that was parked at the camp, officials had said.

A sixth jawan, who suffered bullet injuries in the incident, is admitted to a hospital in a critical condition.