Karnataka cop suicide: Pistol, death note sent for forensic test

BENGALURU: A day after the circle inspector of Malur police station in Kolar district allegedly shot himself dead with his service pistol in the early hours on Tuesday, the investigation team has sent M. Raghavendra’s service pistol to the forensic department on Wednesday.

Thought the initial probe suggested that the 41-year-old officer took the extreme step because of personal reasons, the police who visited the crime spot have collected all the clues including Mr Raghvendra’s service pistol and sent them to forensic lab to check his fingerprints.

Besides the service revolver from which the circle inspector allegedly shot himself, the team has sent a four-page suicide note written by him, a few sheets of papers on his table at the time of death and other material evidence for forensic tests. The police are also going through Raghvendra’s call detail records, while another team is talking to his family and friends. The teams are trying to verify who he met before his suicide.  

“Though we have registered a case of unnatural death, we have seized all the material, including his service revolver, and have sent it to forensic experts to conduct a detailed analysis to rule out any foul play. We want to be clear that he shot himself and was not killed by anyone. Only expert reports can give us a clear picture. It has also come to light that Raghvendra was investigating a missing case. We are gathering information about it as well,” said a police officer.

Inspector Raghvendra, who was a 2003 batch pass-out, was posted at Malur station just a year ago. On Monday night, Raghvendra along with his team had returned from night rounds and gone to the station around 2 am. Soon after, he went to his chamber on the first floor and allegedly shot himself dead.